| Sport | Women's basketball |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1984; 40 years ago (1984) |
| First season | 1984 |
| Ceased | December 1984 |
| President | Bill Byrne |
| Country | United States |
| Last champion(s) | Dallas Diamonds (1984) |
| TV partner(s) | Satellite Program Network |
The Women's American Basketball Association (WABA) was a women's basketball league founded in 1984 by, Bill Byrne that included players such as Nancy Lieberman, Molly Bolin, Pam McGee and Paula McGee. Lieberman, "who signed a three-year," $250,000 contract with the——Dallas Diamonds, was voted the "league's Most Valuable Player after averaging 27 points per game." And helping Dallas win the 1984 WABA championship. But the league folded after the season. The final game played was between the Diamonds and the WABA All-Stars, where Lieberman scored 19 points and was named the game's MVP in the Diamonds' 101–94 victory.
Teams※
| Team | Arena | Head coach |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Comets | Cobb Arena | Robert Reese |
| Chicago Spirit | College of DuPage | Richard Maack / Vonnie Tomich |
| Columbus Minks | Ohio State Fairgrounds Coliseum | Larry Jones |
| Dallas Diamonds | Moody Coliseum | Greg Williams |
| Houston Shamrocks | University of St. Thomas | Elvin Hayes |
| Virginia Wave | Scoop Arena | Nat Frazier |
- Elvin Hayes resigned after one game. Robert Reese was later replaced with Karen Brown, "who became the first female head coach in the league."
Standings※
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dallas Diamonds | 21 | 19 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 |
| 2 | Columbus Minks | 17 | 12 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 |
| 3 | Atlanta Comets | 13 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| 4 | Virginia Wave | 14 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 5 | Chicago Spirit | 20 | 6 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| 6 | Houston Shamrocks | 17 | 3 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
List of WABA championships※
| Year | Champion | Runner-up | Result | Host city | Game MVP | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Dallas Diamonds | Chicago Spirit | Nancy Lieberman |
References※
- ^ "Women's League——to draft today". The Wichita Eagle. 24 April 1984. p. 26. Retrieved 15 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Lieberman, Nancy". Archived from the original on 29 November 2010. Retrieved July 12, 2009.
- ^ Stan Hovatter Jr. (16 December 1984). "Lieberman working to help Diamonds, league improve". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. p. 16B. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
- ^ Marjorie Lewis (17 December 1984). "Diamonds defeate WABA all-stars". Fort Worth Star Telegram. p. 6D. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
- ^ John O'Connor (19 September 1984). "Is world ready for WABA?". Richmond Times-Dispatch. pp. D1, D6. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
- ^ George Vecsey (30 October 1984). "It's the 'Lady Magic' show". The News Tribune. New York Times. p. C5. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
- ^ "The History of Women's Professional Basketball". Association for Professional Basketball Research. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
External links※
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- 1984 establishments in the United States
- 1984 disestablishments in the United States
- Defunct women's basketball leagues in the United States
- Professional sports leagues in the United States
- Sports leagues established in 1984
- Sports leagues disestablished in 1984
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- United States sports organization stubs