The Women's Basketball Association (WBA or WWBA) was the first women's professional basketball summer league, operating from 1992 to 1995. The league was called the WWBA and WBA for the first All-Star tour in 1992, before settling on WBA. The pioneer league was formed in 1992 by Lightning N Mitchell and played three full seasons from 1993 to 1995.
The WBA played a 15-game schedule, and games were broadcast on Liberty Sports of Dallas. The All-Star games were also televised on Fox Sports. Kansas Jayhawks All-American Geri "Kay-Kay" Hart and Robelyn "Robbie" Garcia announced the game on Fox Radio and Nancy Lieberman was the TV announcer for the 1995 All-Star game. The team was featured on the cover of the Star Magazine, an arts publication run by the Kansas City Star from 1924 until the late 1990s. USA Today did a story on the Kansas City Mustangs coached by Joe C. Meriweather, and included a full-team picture.
The WBA played three full seasons, with plans to play as a 12-team league in 1997, but disbanded before the season began. When Fox Sports purchased Liberty Sports and the WBA, they dissolved the league shortly after and sold off the franchising rights. The league was the first American professional women's basketball league to be successful as a summer league, like their counterpart WNBA.
Guard Laurie Byrd played for the WWBA, WBA, American Basketball League and WNBA.
WBA Champions
1993 – Kansas Crusaders – MVP: Robelyn Garcia
1994 – Nebraska Express – MVP: Maurtice Ivy (Tice) 1995 – Chicago Twisters – MVP: Diana Vines
1993 WBA regular season
World Conference
American Conference
MVP: Sarah Campbell
WBA 1st Round Playoffs
Missouri 2–1 over Iowa
Iowa 119, Missouri 103
Missouri 98, Iowa 93
Missouri 117, Iowa 112 (OT)
Kansas 2–0 over Oklahoma
Kansas 92, Oklahoma 77
Kansas 114, Oklahoma 64
Nebraska 2–0 over Illinois
Nebraska 166, Illinois 129
Nebraska 127, Illinois 115
WBA 2nd Round Playoffs
Kansas 2–0 over Missouri
Kansas 121, Missouri 97
Kansas 109, Missouri 99
1993 WBA Championship (best-of five) Kansas 3–1 over Nebraska Kansas 125, Nebraska 119 Nebraska 118, Kansas 100 Kansas 111, Nebraska 96 First WBA Championship: Kansas 100, Nebraska 98 MVP: Robelyn "Robbie" Garcia1994 WBA regular season
National Conference
American ConferenceMVP: Evette Ott, Sarah CampbellWBA 1st Round PlayoffsMemphis 2–0 over St. LouisMemphis 126, St. Louis 111 Memphis 122, St. Louis 110Indiana 2–0 over OklahomaIndiana 107, Oklahoma 91 Indiana 103, Oklahoma 91WBA 2nd Round Playoffs (Best out of 2 or the total number of points score in 2 games)Memphis won series in Points (195–185)Kansas City 98, Memphis 94 Memphis 101, Kansas City 87Nebraska won series by winning 2–0 over IndianaNebraska 99, Indiana 89 Nebraska 91, Indiana 871994 WBA Championship (best-of five)Nebraska 3–2 over MemphisMemphis 102, Nebraska 101 Nebraska 123, Memphis 108 Memphis 138, Nebraska 128 Nebraska 111, Memphis 101 Nebraska 103, Memphis 101MVP: Maurtice (Tice) Ivy