"Brief introduction to the beginnings and early history of the WNBA"--

Reaching back over a century of struggle, liberation, and gutsy play, Shattering the Glass is a sweeping chronicle of women's basketball in the United States. Offering vivid portraits of forgotten heroes and contemporary stars, Pamela Grundy and Susan Shackelford provide a broad perspective on the history of the sport, exploring its close relationship to concepts of womanhood, race, and sexuality, and to efforts to expand women's rights. Extensively illustrated and drawing on original interviews with players, coaches, administrators, and broadcasters, Shattering the Glass presents a moving, gritty view of the game on and off the court. It is both an insightful history and an empowering story of the generations of women who have shaped women's basketball.

This title tells the story of the Women's National Basketball Association, from its founding in the 1990s to its status today as a world-class showcase for basketball talent. Readers will learn about the league's stars, teams, and coaches, as well as player efforts to earn higher pay. Features include infographics, a glossary, references, websites, source notes, and an index. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Essential Library is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The NBA according to The Sports Guy—now updated with fresh takes on LeBron, the Celtics, and more! Foreword by Malcom Gladwell • “The work of a true fan . . . it might just represent the next phase of sports commentary.”—The Atlantic Bill Simmons, the wildly opinionated and thoroughly entertaining basketball addict known to millions as ESPN’s The Sports Guy, has written the definitive book on the past, present, and future of the NBA. From the age-old question of who actually won the rivalry between Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain to the one about which team was truly the best of all time, Simmons opens—and then closes, once and for all—every major pro basketball debate. Then he takes it further by completely reevaluating not only how NBA Hall of Fame inductees should be chosen but how the institution must be reshaped from the ground up, the result being the Pyramid: Simmons’s one-of-a-kind five-level shrine to the ninety-six greatest players in the history of pro basketball. And ultimately he takes fans to the heart of it all, as he uses a conversation with one NBA great to uncover that coveted thing: The Secret of Basketball. Comprehensive, authoritative, controversial, hilarious, and impossible to put down (even for Celtic-haters), The Book of Basketball offers every hardwood fan a courtside seat beside the game’s finest, funniest, and fiercest chronicler.

"Well, he said he started, became a fan in 2000. Hes just been a fan of the game ever since." -Carolyn Peck, ESPN Commentator "I think its great to have fans that are that passionate, who care about (the league) that much to invest their time, their energy, their summer vacation to follow the WNBA." -Donna Orender, WNBA President (2005-2010) "Oh, the journey dude? Man vs. Wild, WNBA style!" -Diana Taurasi, Phoenix Mercury My name is Alex Chambers, and I love women's basketball. Yes, it really is that simple. Now come to think of it, loving the game is that simple; being a fan, well, that's another story. The difficulty in being a fan of women's basketball might lie within the struggle to find a televised game, or media coverage you don't have to dig for. It could mean sifting past paragraphs and even pages of negative comments on message boards or blogs to get to a recap of a recent game. Even still, it could be that when I wear my home team's jersey, people ask me, "Is that a professional sports team?" It might also have to do with the fact that (drum roll please) I'm a guy. In 2009, I traveled to all thirteen WNBA arenas. Along the way, I was fortunate enough to meet some of the athletes in the WNBA as well as many passionate fans. This is the story of my twenty-eight day, twelve thousand mile journey, filled with adventure and amazing experiences. Interviews include: Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird, Lauren Jackson, Becky Hammon, Janel McCarville, Lindsay Whalen, Tamika Catchings, Renee Montgomery, Alana Beard, Erin Phillips, Candice Wiggins, and many others!

“Elena is one of the brightest stars in our game today and an iconic role model.” —Lisa M. Borders, WNBA President “Inspiring in many ways.” —Kirkus Reviews Elena Delle Donne, 2015 WNBA MVP and 2016 Olympic gold medalist, shares her inspirational story of being a young basketball prodigy who gave up an impressive basketball scholarship for family and self-discovery. Elena Delle Donne has always forged her own path. During her first year of college, she walked away from a scholarship and chance to play for Geno Aurriema at UConn—the most prestigious women’s college basketball program—so she could stay in her home state of Delaware and be close to her older sister, Lizzie, who has several disabilities and can only communicate through hand-over-hand signing. Burned out and questioning her passion for basketball, she attended the University of Delaware and took up volleyball for a year. Eventually she found her way back to her first love, playing basketball for the Blue Hens, ultimately leading them, a mid-major team, to the Sweet Sixteen. She went on to become the second overall selection during the 2013 WNBA draft and the WNBA’s 2015 MVP. Elena Delle Donne delivers a powerful and motivational story of overcoming the challenges of competitive sports through balancing hard work and the support of a loving family.

When all she wanted was to fit in, Tamika Catchings never imagined one day she'd stand out--as a basketball superstar and an inspiration. Catchings faced being set apart by her hearing loss, separation from family, living up to high expectations, and the pain and discouragement of debilitating physical injuries. Yet she reached for the stars with hard work, perseverance, and her faith in God. Through the silence, she found the way to shine. Catch a Star tells Tamika's story of overcoming: of leading the Indiana Fever to its first championship, being named to the WNBA's All Decade Team, earning four Olympic gold medals, and founding the Catch the Stars Foundation to help young people achieve their dreams. Her story will inspire readers to face their doubts and fears, encouraging them to reach for their own stars, no matter what challenges come their way.