Court Queens: Celebrate the Players, Teams, and History of Women’s Basketball

by Emma Baccellieri, Jordan Robinson

A definitive, first-of-its-kind, richly photographic celebration of women’s basketball captures the passion, energy, and skill of the sport—and the many players and coaches who helped build it.

Women’s basketball is taking the country by storm with record-breaking viewership and attendance—and unprecedented attention. These new stars stand on the shoulders of countless trailblazing players and coaches. While fighting for their place on the court over the last 130 years, they were also 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 women’s basketball through vivid portraits of forgotten heroes, individual games, unforgettable moments, and iconic teams and seasons. Journalists and superfans Emma Baccellieri and Jordan Robinson begin with Senda Berenson introducing the game to women at Smith College in 1892—where the players wore ankle-length skirts!—and chart the growth of the sport around the country over the decades that followed. From six-on-six to five-on-five, college to professional to international, they cover the people who have defined women’s basketball.

Baccellieri and Robinson chronicle some of the legendary players who helped build the game as we know it today, like Cheryl Miller, Lisa Leslie, and Diana Taurasi, and the coaches who shaped them. From the early professional leagues to the birth of the WNBA and right up to the modern day of Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and Paige Bueckers, the book traces how far the women’s game (and fandom) has come. And for every star whose name you already know, Court Queens introduces you to a handful of electric, game-changing others who never got the shine they deserved.

Packed with hundreds of photos and pieces of memorabilia, this seminal work is filled with stories you won’t soon forget.

Genres: Nonfiction, Sports, History, Reference

256 pages, Hardcover

Published March 17, 2026

About the author

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

Reviews

[Savannah Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

the people in my life have tired of hearing all the many facts I learned from this book! too bad, I still have more!! incredible history. I absolutely loved all the pictures (the women playing in dresses at Smith in the 1890s have my heart).

[Katherine Lavelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is wonderful. Not only is the writing great - the pictures are a fabulous record of modern basketball history. All of the stars!

[Tanya b · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a huge WNBA and NCAA fan and this book delivers. It’s meant to sit on a coffee table and would be a great gift for a women’s bball fan.

[Lydia · Rating 4 out of 5]

COURT QUEENS describes itself as a love letter to women’s basketball, and it really is just that. An entertaining history of the game, this book takes it all the way back to the invention of basketball and earliest days of women’s basketball, demonstrating that people have been keen to watch from the very first game. With a particular focus on the 1970s onward, the authors take us through the high points and low, from the players and coaches who have helped make the sport what it is today to the fights for fair and sustainable pay.

Rich with archival photographs, timelines, infographics, and the occasional interview, it’s a book that’s easy to tear through in a sitting or two, read piecemeal, or even keep on the coffee table to casually flip through when time arises. My only complaint is that I wish it had gone deeper at specific points. Especially with its variety of storytelling methods, it’s such a fun and breezy read of bite-sized histories that it only feels natural to want more.

As an occasional WNBA fan who knows little about basketball history, it not only made me more excited about the sport, but hopeful that we’ll see many more books that dive into specific eras, moments, and themes in women’s basketball history.

COURT QUEENS is an excellent read as a casual introduction to the robust history of women’s basketball — and a great gift for all the basketball fans in your life!

Thanks to Black Dog & Leventhal for an advanced copy!

[Maliika Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a massive collector of sports history, I can honestly say that Court Queens is going straight to the treasured shelf. Emma Baccellieri and Jordan Robinson have captured the soul of the game in a way that feels deeply respectful and incredibly fun. The archival photos are easily my favorite part. There is something so surreal and inspiring about seeing these pioneers hoopin' in full length skirts and leather shoes. It really makes you appreciate the DNA of the sport and the sheer grit it took to play the game back then.

With the WNBA hitting its historic 30th season and top stars finally signing those well deserved $1.4M max contracts, the timing of this book is perfect. We’re seeing record breaking viewership for women's basketball, but you can’t fully appreciate the heights of today without seeing the foundation. Whether you’re a diehard who knows every stat or a casual fan who just fell in love with the game, this book is an absolute must read. It’s a gorgeous, comprehensive tribute to the queens who built the court we're all obsessed with today! Thank you to Black Dog & Leventhal + NetGalley for the arc.🏀✨

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I found myself going to the internet to try to learn more about the history of women's basketball and glean more about each woman mentioned. There is not a lot out there on some of these incredible women which is why this book is so important. The authors did the research, and I'm grateful. Kudos to the authors. Reading this book made me want to host a Wikipedia edit-a-thon to get more exposure to the accomplishments of these women.
I'm glad I have a print copy because the photos are an important part of the book. This book is a great coffee table book/discussion piece. My spouse and kids gave me this book for my birthday. I recommend giving it as a gift for the women's basketball fans in your life.

[John Schorg · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this isn't as great a history of women's basketball as Shattering the Glass and Inaugural Ballers, it is still pretty good, and certainly does its work for those seeking an introduction to the sport. Look on this as another valuable block in building a needed library on something truly glorious.

[Con · Rating 4 out of 5]

definitely the best wbb book i’ve read so far! another coffee table esque book with gorgeous photographs & pages. dedicates a few pages to each topic so it’s not super in depth but it covers a wide breadth. too much glaze of teams & players i dislike and not enough for the ones i do like but isn’t that always the case? loved it tho, would recommend to anyone who enjoys wbb!

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a beautiful “yearbook” for Womens basketball. Loved learning the history. The pictures were gorgeous. I just was surprised by the lack of a wrap-up or any sort of ending summary to bring it together at the end. A missed opportunity considering how the rest of the book was so great!

[Taylor Budensiek · Rating 5 out of 5]

So informative and beautiful. Very well researched and written. An excellent read, would highly recommend if you are even a casual fan of women’s basketball!

[sage young · Rating 3 out of 5]

another work read but actually good this time!! napheesa collier pls marry me

[Abigail Franklin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great informational coffee table book. Learned a lot.