We Got Next: David Stern Believes A Woman Will Soon Play In The NBA
In an article on SI.com, David Stern told a reporter that he thinks it’s possible that a woman will play in the NBA within the next 10 years. Sports Illustrated asked the commissioner whether we might see a woman playing NBA basketball within the next decade. “I think we might,” said Stern. “I don’t want to get into all kinds of arguments with players and coaches about the likelihood. But I really think it’s a good possibility.”
The article also talks about what kind of media and marketing impact breaking such a barrier would have. It also challenged whether the NBA would be too physical for a female athlete and whether NBA players would respect her or not.
Do you guys think a female could play in the NBA?
December 4th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
Steve A says:
This forum is about to get real ugly…
December 4th, 2009 at 3:23 pm
Bron42 aka Had Springs before slamball says:
Lol maybe that 6′8 Chris bosh lookin chick if she bulked up 100 MBA but other than her? Not a chance. Even Candace would get housed o. A regular basis against grown men.
December 4th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
Patrick says:
@Dime
You definitely just posted this to get a rise out of your readers. If a guy like Darius Rice can’t get close to the NBA no woman ever will.
December 4th, 2009 at 3:25 pm
Detroit Dave says:
The NBA already has a hard time officiating unique athletes like Allen Iverson and Shaquille O’Neal. It is no way possible a woman will be playing in the NBA in ten years. Not gonna happen. Period! Could you imagine a woman trying to stop an angry Carmelo Anthony in the post?
December 4th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
Brown says:
Not now. Not in 10 years. Not in a million years. Never.
There’s no chance in hell this ever happens.
Forget about Ron Artest shootin’ off at the mouth, someone needs to check Stern to see if he’s the one drinking.
December 4th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
Heckler says:
female player in the nba? hahahaha. comical.
not ever likely to happen. eva.
what coach would have the balls to put her in a game?!!?
if a woman made a roster….she’d play 1 preseason game. and even thats a hella stretch.
NBA
“No Bitches Associaion”
December 4th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
A-Slam says:
it’s not sexist, it’s about the fact that women are physically inferior to men. Could I honestly see Becky Hammon match up with Jason Kidd? hell no
December 4th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
KL says:
David Stern and his PR team are at it again. Woman don’t have the skill set for the D league or NCAA Div II mens. And here you have Stern talking the elite league of them all…the NBA. I can see an NBA team trying to pull this stunt to sell tickets, but thats it. Unless they legalize steroids for women, ain’t going to happen, EVER.
December 4th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
Heckler says:
what next….the cheerleaders doing play-by-play?
December 4th, 2009 at 3:35 pm
hector says:
I’d like to see a woman taking a charge from Shaq
December 4th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
Bron42 aka Had Springs before slamball says:
It would be like in “the air up there” when the girl played. He’ll the girl couldn’t even win in love and basketball and he had a bum knee. Keep dreaming stern and tryin to get girls to watch the NBA
December 4th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
flavur says:
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha not in a million years not in a billion yrs not in a trillion yrs.
December 4th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
don says:
this is by far the dumest response to a question ive ever heard from stern lol think about a girl 6ft4(average height for wnba center) going up against dwight lol and then try someone her size like dwade…she’d get torched for over a hundred
December 4th, 2009 at 3:46 pm
mike says:
Stern only said there could be a good possibility. What was he supposed to say? “No way, women are inferior as athletes”
December 4th, 2009 at 3:47 pm
BRUCE says:
Sic Anderson Vagina on that Vagina!
December 4th, 2009 at 3:49 pm
Jones says:
It could happen if she’s built like Caster Semenya.
December 4th, 2009 at 3:53 pm
laker4life says:
it would require too much out of a woman…to go against some1 her size…
1. men will not respect her
2. avg size for woman in respective position would get burned by a player at the same position
3. would require much strength and more durabilty in 82 game season
4. needs to be a good athlete or very good shooter..regular players will not do it
5.
December 4th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
quest??? says:
na man, i love women but women and men shouldnt play together. Professional athletes are too strong, too fast, and too skilled to play a woman. Plus, idk about u but when i play females even if they are good, i dnt try to block their shot or take the ball away, thats just wrong.
December 4th, 2009 at 3:57 pm
quest??? says:
oh wait……. the nba already has a woman playing…sasha vujabitch.
December 4th, 2009 at 3:57 pm
Diego says:
She’d have to be some Mugsy Boguesish point guard and even then, no matter how good she is, it would be a BS publicity move, with a gazillion better dudes out there.
And if those gates ever are open, look out WNBA, its Juwanna Mann time!
December 4th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
J HUSTLE NORTH DALLAS says:
But isn’t there already a woman in the NBA??? Kayla Korver or somethin?? Maybe i’m trippin
LOL
December 4th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
Mike says:
play a zone on D, and get a female shooting specialist in there. not quite as far-fetched as everyone is saying.
the only problem is that females grow up practicing with a woman’s ball, so i don’t know if we’re going to see that type of sharp-shooter anytime soon.
December 4th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
Kamaukali says:
If the NBA keeps softening the rules on player contact, I could see it.
December 4th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
weezy f says:
if you ever played against a girl you know how uncomfortable it is guarding her you dont wanna poke her in the shest or have her back you down you might get a stiffy
December 4th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
Kermit The Washington says:
I think the only reason Stern said this is because he was too afraid to say “Nah, son…we’ll never ever have women in our league”, even though it’s 100% true. Punked out.
December 4th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
Mark it Zero says:
Have you seen the Bows that KG throws? there isn’t a health care plan in the world that would insure a woman against that
December 4th, 2009 at 4:24 pm
Mike says:
weezy f,
so true, so true
December 4th, 2009 at 4:26 pm
BiG ShoT BoB says:
It better not be a white girl playing the Lakers while Kobe’s defending her…
December 4th, 2009 at 4:27 pm
ump says:
If brian scalabrine can play for the nba champions (and stay in the league for 9 years)… anyone can play.
December 4th, 2009 at 4:28 pm
Ian says:
well if you consider a dude that had a sex change operation a women then yes maybe we will see one.
December 4th, 2009 at 4:37 pm
Specs says:
I don’t know why everyone’s bringin up people like Carmelo and Kidd. What happens when the chick switches onto Dwight or LeBron? Or god forbid Ron Artest? Trouble.
December 4th, 2009 at 4:44 pm
rocky lobs says:
i just wanna see diana body up some 3rd string pg’s
December 4th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
Hugo says:
If that’s true, why not put a man on the WNBA? If Iverson hadn’t signed with the 76ers he could go there, probably start and average 50+ points. I’m sure he is regreting his move right now
… Come on.
Imagine a woman running straigth into Dwight Howard … I don’t even want to think what would happen.
December 4th, 2009 at 4:57 pm
Yoooo says:
I’d take Diana Taurasi over Ricky Davis ANY day of the week. No lie she could hold her own I don’t care what any of yall say. At 6′4″ she can shoot with the best of them and her handle is bonkers
December 4th, 2009 at 5:05 pm
the big fundamental says:
COme on guys!not even that girl (or guy wtv you prefer lol) from South Africa!!! HA!! lol
December 4th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
rodnets says:
no, comish is looking for a place to put some wnba players when the wnba disappears in 10 years…
December 4th, 2009 at 5:29 pm
George W Kush Sr says:
This is stupid. No disrespect to women and all that but to answer the question, No Way.
This is just further proof that Stern is the idiot I always knew he was.
December 4th, 2009 at 5:34 pm
Balla says:
Tauarasi is the only one capable to come even close. She has the skills, athleticism, size, and enduarce. I think she can hold her own on a weak D1 NCAA team or maybe on some pro men teams overseas.
Candance parker is too short and slow for the position she would play.
December 4th, 2009 at 5:34 pm
George W Kush Sr says:
On a serious note, I think Reggie Evans is secretly hoping women do come to the NBA, the perverted bastard
December 4th, 2009 at 5:36 pm
ProphetGK says:
Just just no, like honestly, why even say that? On the other hand guy would be getting a lot more holding fouls, and tryin 2 serve up facials… take from it what u will…
December 4th, 2009 at 5:57 pm
Colton says:
i dont want this post to get ugly and sound sexist, so ill try to keep it simple. men bang bodies hard down low … they push and shove and are extremely physical. no player in the nba wants to do that against a woman … imagine a scuffle between candace parker and carmelo where carmelo throws his big frame into her knocks her down … hello womans rights activists knocking on the nba’s door for another man roughing up a woman. women may be able to have the emotional and all around mental and intellectual parts of basketball at a level that is at or exceeds that of a man. but when it comes down to pure physicalness and testosterone, the ladies are outmatched. theres no way of really getting around it that i see. i just dont wanna see the guys of the league tiptoeing around the girls trying not to hurt them. i dont wanna see the physicalness of the game ever decrease, nor do i want to see men start getting in shoouting and shoving matches with girls. thats just my say. and i agree with the post above me. stern, your an idiot!
December 4th, 2009 at 6:04 pm
realtalk says:
Nah. You’ll have cats all trying to do a Fredric Weis ala VC on the woman player. Double the incentive for tea bagging.
December 4th, 2009 at 6:08 pm
Ace says:
I think it could happen, if Cheryl Miller was thought by everyone to better than her brother and good enough to play with the guys…then it is possible to have another player like her in the future.
All this talk about size and strength if that’s the case JJ Barea would not be in the NBA and Stephen Curry would not have been successful in college or NBA at all b/c everyone talked about his size and how small he is. There is more to basketball than brute strength.
If Candace Parker did play I doubt they would have her in the 4 to 5 position probably not even the 3 position. She grew up playing the 1 & 2 position anyways.
Jaime Nared the girl in the Lebron commercial said her dream is to play in the NBA and she already plays against guys, so she could be the first.
December 4th, 2009 at 6:17 pm
len-e says:
fuck that bullshit.
December 4th, 2009 at 6:18 pm
Dragonyeuw says:
Maybe if you had an extremely gifted point guard. Otherwise women would get physically overwhelmed,never mind the skill differential. Can you see candace parker trying to stop Lebron James? Hell any athletic wing player… please.
December 4th, 2009 at 6:20 pm
len-e says:
@ colton. it already decreased and nba fans all around HATE it. it’s time for stern to step aside. the nba found it’s niche in being family-friendly but: marketing is one thing, ruining the game another.
December 4th, 2009 at 6:28 pm
Mike says:
some girl at my gym can out-bench most of the dudes in there. don’t know if she has a jumper or handles though.
December 4th, 2009 at 6:45 pm
Timmy D says:
Stern is an idiot if he really believes that
December 4th, 2009 at 6:47 pm
Pakman says:
whats the point of the wnba…………….
December 4th, 2009 at 6:53 pm
sh!tfaced says:
Bullshit. If a woman will soon play in the NBA, will it allow the men to join the WNBA…?
December 4th, 2009 at 6:56 pm
cesar says:
taurasi is 6′ , not 6′4”
December 4th, 2009 at 7:06 pm
ctkennedy says:
only if its a guard with that said i dont think a player like athony carter, travis diener , grogan dragic, beno urich,and some others could go to the wnba and win the mvp either
December 4th, 2009 at 7:19 pm
Black Mamba says:
This is the stupidiest thing i’ve ever heard. There is a WNBA for that bullsh*t so just because nobdy watches it doesn’t mean bring them to the nba. broes before hoes this is man sport just look pretty and cheer ok women and make me a sandwhich no mayo
December 4th, 2009 at 7:41 pm
ejay says:
I think one day females will be playing in the NBA. Why not? I mean…. Andrea Bargniai is playing in the NBA isnt he?
December 4th, 2009 at 8:35 pm
Mike C says:
@ Mike post 14…
Of course that’s what he is supposed to say. This whole topic is a fucking joke.
December 4th, 2009 at 8:44 pm
Urban says:
I’m suprised by the overall negetivity towards women in this article. Yes, women are built differently. They are NOT physicly inferior. I think that’s a stigma society has created, but in all actualtity women can in fact take more physical punishment that men. Their are plenty of women stronger than many of the men in the NBA, or at least ave bigger arms than Iverson/Durant. And I bet not one person on this post could compete in the WNBA. That said, women do have several disadvantages in how they are built in competing in the NBA, but thay have things that could help too, such as better recovery times, and long term endurance. And in the forseeable future, if a women could overcome her shortcomings (ie hieght/quickness), and use her strengths, she could make the NBA. Although just having a WNBA prevents that. Who knows how long that league will last.
December 4th, 2009 at 8:56 pm
Tino says:
I’d bet if a woman is in the NBA 10 years from now, and Shawn Bradley was still in the L, she would dunk on him.
December 4th, 2009 at 9:07 pm
Lucas says:
That’s funny that LeBron disagreed with this http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4715078
December 4th, 2009 at 9:09 pm
Lucas says:
Oh and all i gotta say is: Britany Griner on Baylor
December 4th, 2009 at 9:31 pm
JD says:
Is it because WNBA players are half-men (now) anyway? lol
well, as manly as they look – they’re still women, and imagine how many more foul would be called out during games if this ever gonna happen!!
December 4th, 2009 at 10:07 pm
MarkRappaport says:
Diana Taurasi could play in the NBA, no doubt about it. She has the strength, speed, and skills to compete and be a starter on any NBA team. Look, if little squirts like Earl Boykins, Spud Webb, and Muggsy Bougues can play in the NBA, then Taurasi would have no problem.
December 4th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
diamond blunt says:
i think that is the dumbest idea he has ever thought up? how will the players play hard? it sounds like a bunch a laziness , cutbacks on expenses and alot of just dave benefiting cause us as fans dont ever want to see that it wouldnt be fun to watch anymore, i for one would stop watching the sport all together
December 4th, 2009 at 11:20 pm
diamond blunt says:
daid stern was high when he said that
December 5th, 2009 at 6:00 am
AJ says:
It would be pretty damn funny for the commentator to say “Lebron with the facial over Taurausi”.
December 5th, 2009 at 7:20 am
Chris says:
Who’s the better athlete, Steve Kerr or Candace Parker? Steve Kerr said he never once could dunk. It will take a shooting specialist with phenomenal athletic ability, but it could happen.
December 5th, 2009 at 8:42 am
Bron42 aka Had Springs before slamball says:
@urban, your crazy, we are not just talking weight lifter strength. Overall ability. Example, Carson from the new York liberty balls with us and she’s a good 6′3 and while she could hold her own against the like dads at the gym, once any guy with actual ball exeperince comes and plays her serious it’s not even close. She suddenly looks average and you wouldn’t even know she was in the NBA. Candace and Diana would get dunked on and bodied allll day. The only idea that would work is the shooting specialist idea to just spot up but get destroyed on D. But like someone said it would just be a stunt cuz there’s plenty of guys who could do it even better.
@mark, boykins can bench 300+lbs and even he is only in the league on and off. Plus both him and mugsy are 12 times faster than turasi. I’m not sayin a girl wouldn’t be able to hit a shot at some point but to be a consistant role player? Please? She would be such a defensive liability no coach could risk it. It would be like a weaker slower Steve Nash guardin someone.
December 5th, 2009 at 8:56 am
DK says:
Maya Moore can hoop tho… I’m just sayin.
December 5th, 2009 at 11:19 am
biggerLIZARD says:
Three quick points
1. What is Stern actually arguing?
He argues that women could have a role on an nba team. He is not arguing that there could be a female player who could match up against the premier power players of the league. He’s arguing that they could concievably play in the guard positions as change of pace players.
2. Are women inferior atheletes to men?
This is half truth. What we know about genetics says, “The average man is significantly more likely to be stronger than the average woman.” This is a fact. But genetics offers a spectrum for human development. There are upward limits, again with men peaking higher but it is a range not a rule. This is why the fastest men in the world are faster then the fastest women in the world. But it’s not by a tremendous margin, a second or so. Courtesy of genetic variation, a large sample size, and appropriate physical training you can have a female athelete physically of playing in the nba.
In summation, you guys really think that it’s not possible for a woman player to match the lateral movement, defensive intensity, and court vision of Damon Jones? Really? I think you’re all lying to yourselves.
3. Is the culture of the NBA ready to accept a female player?
This is the real question. And I think the question is would there be an organization strong, smart, and forward minded enough to do so. And would the rest of the league let it happen. My guess is no.
December 5th, 2009 at 11:59 am
James Blackburn says:
heck no- no way- never
December 5th, 2009 at 2:06 pm
40 CAL bouncemag.com says:
I think David Stern just proved he needs to hang it up!
December 5th, 2009 at 2:09 pm
40 CAL bouncemag.com says:
Next thing you know the next NBA fad will be Air Tea Bagging!
December 5th, 2009 at 9:04 pm
Rich says:
It could work for the right position. I could see a woman playing PG or SG.
December 6th, 2009 at 9:21 pm
bola says:
wake up d. stern! this ain’t WWE where women could hang with the “tough” steroid- drinking actors..the closest the nba in having a women in the court was when amaechi was playing and varejao and vujacic are on court.. lousy bitches
December 7th, 2009 at 6:01 am
Borgs says:
I like the idea and so did Ruben Patterson. He even thought he’d spotted the very person likely to break the gender barrier as a precocious youngster in a Seattle shopping mall several years ago. He took her under his wing, hoping to mentor her all the way to the Rockets’ backcourt via the late second round. Alas, it didn’t work out; the Rockets went with Brent Barry, the girl with an exceptionally competent lawyer.
December 7th, 2009 at 10:03 am
S-SiN says:
Hey! And how about a male playing in WNBA within the next 10 years? Ever thought about that?
December 7th, 2009 at 10:40 am
ha says:
ASDFASDFADF
December 7th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
Joseph says:
Come on have you guys watched Jason Kapono? I could totally see a female Jason Kapono or Earl Boykins
December 7th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
Chicagorilla says:
I love to watch womens basketball and I have argued that several of the womens college players could probably play major college ball right now. Mya Moore being the most noticeable. I also thought Ivory Latta could play D1 ball…maybe not major but for a mid-major sure. It’s not all about speed and jumping or muscle, some of the women have very high basketball IQ’s. And when they are challeneged at a higher level on a consistant basis, i think a player like Mya Moore could do some things on the D-1 level.
That being said, I don’t want to see a woman in the NBa, that’s why we have the WNBA. I want to see a woman dominate the WNBA first… And I’m talking DOMINATE, like Wilt Chamberline or Mike Jordan. Once that happens, then I would like to see her try the NBA.
Stern is out his f^king mind though, he needs to be replaced. He’s trying his best to ruin the game of basketball. The NBA is starting to really look like WWE and he is starting to resemble a one Mr. Mchman.
December 7th, 2009 at 10:55 pm
RC says:
David Stern = birdbrain