Court Queens - by Emma Baccellieri & Jordan Robinson (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

A definitive, first-of-its-kind, photographic celebration of the rich history of women's basketball captures the passion and skill of the players and coaches who built the sport as we know it today.

Women's basketball is taking the country by storm with record-breaking viewership and attendance and unprecedented attention being given to rising stars like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. These players stand on the shoulders of hundreds of trailblazing players and coaches who have fought for their place on the court over the last 130 years, all while playing some of the most thrilling, hard-fought games in basketball history.

Deeply researched and deftly written, this love letter to the game covers the history of college and professional leagues of women's basketball through vivid portraits of forgotten heroes, individual games, iconic teams and seasons, and the unforgettable moments. Journalists and super fans Emma and Jordan begin with Senda Berenson, who introduced the game to women at Smith College in 1892 (where the players still had to wear ankle-length skirts) and follow the game in college gymnasiums around the country for decades giving rise to coaching giants Geno Auriemma and Pat Summitt and their infamous UConn-Tennessee rivalry and legendary players including Cheryl Miller, Dawn Staley, Rebecca Lobo many more. The book chronicles the formation of the WNBA and the Olympic golds that helped paved the way for the league with key players like Lisa Leslie, Diana Taurasi, and Sheryl Swoopes and brings the book up to the present day to highlight the newest stars like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.

Packed with hundreds of photos and pieces of memorabilia, this seminal work is filled with stories you won't soon forget. Along with spotlights on key figures, individual games, iconic teams and seasons, and the unforgettable moments that have defined women's basketball, it explores outside the lines, such as player activism, pop-culture references, and fashion.

About the Author

Emma Baccellieri has been a staff writer at Sports Illustrated since 2018. Covering women's college basketball, she has profiled star players in the pages of the magazine and has anchored digital and multimedia coverage of major events such as the Final Four. She is a graduate of Duke University and lives in Washington, D.C.

Jordan Robinson is a freelance journalist, host, analyst, content creator, play-by-play announcer, and reporter based in Los Angeles, CA. She's worked as a host with the PAC-12 Network, Women's Sports Network, the West Coast Conference, Big Ten Network, and FIBA. She also hosts a podcast for the WNBA on Audacy with legend Sheryl Swoopes called "Queens of the Court." Additionally, she has had articles published in various media outlets, including WNBA.com, GQ, ESSENCE, The Ringer, Romper, and more. She was a 4-year letterer for her university's women's basketball team.