The W: A History of the WNBA: How the WNBA Survived, Evolved, and Changed Professional Sports

by Tamryn Spruill

A raucous roller-coaster history of the WNBA, from celebrated start-up to lean years, and on to the recent boom, from a passionate sports journalistThe history of the WNBA is an epic one, and in The W, journalist Tamryn Spruill tells the full thrilling story. This is a three-decade tale of tenacious athletes, devoted fans, and a vibrant, diverse league that struggled for years to find a firm footing in the wider sports culture.When the WNBA launched to much fanfare in 1996, the nascent league was treated like a kid sister with a lot of potential. Eight teams collectively owned by the NBA played a short schedule during the men’s offseason. Fans flocked to arenas to see stars Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie, and Rebecca Lobo, and the Houston Comets won their first of four consecutive championships.But television broadcasts were hard to find, the conversation around the league was often blatantly sexist, and less than a decade after their “four peat,” the dynastic Comets had been disbanded and ceased to exist.Social media helped players upend that dynamic, be their authentic selves, and engender change inside the league and beyond it. College stars became pros, legends broke records, and the women of the WNBA became undeniable. Thirty years after its founding, the time has more than come for this comprehensive account of the league, and the women whose drive, on-court and off, built the W.

Genres: Sports, Nonfiction, History, Basketball

496 pages, Hardcover

Published September 22, 2026

About the author

Tamryn Spruill is an award-winning independent journalist and author of THE W: A HISTORY OF THE WNBA (Abrams Press, 2026).

Formerly the editor in chief of Swish Appeal, she has written for The Athletic, Harper’s BAZAAR, The New York Times, The Red Bulletin, SLAM, and elsewhere. A lifelong lover of basketball, Spruill has followed the WNBA since its inception and began reporting on it in 2014, with the aim of giving the then-neglected league meaningful coverage.

She has a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Goddard College and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and Journalism from the University of South Carolina. As an adjunct professor, Spruill is passionate about teaching media history/studies, world literature, and creative writing. She thrives in nature, feels most grounded when making music and art, and lives in Massachusetts with her wife, stepson, and two cats.

Spruill currently writes at thehardscreen.net.

Reviews

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book came out Tuesday and let me tell you, it’s THE W fan’s guide to the W. Written by Spruill who is a W enthusiast who has followed the league closely the whole time.

This really gets into the weeds and nitty gritty of the WNBA in a way that’s only possible because of the youth of the league itself. The book specifically focuses on the WNBA and its history, while other leagues are overviewed it’s only in relationship to the WNBA. Unlike many other works that omit the huge contributions to the league made by queer and BIPOC individuals, this one dives deep on the players and moments that were overlooked and the results of these moments being overlooked.

I just started watching the WNBA this season so this gave me a huge appreciation for names I was already an admirer of— Sheryl Swoopes, Kim Perrot, Brittney Griner, etc. Each big change that the league went through from expansions to unnecessary shuttering of teams, to different media contracts that helped and hurt the league, everything is explained in an engaging narrative style.

This book gave me even more appreciation to this league I already love and I HIGHLY recommend it!

Thanks to Abram’s for the eARC.

[Jeff Wait · Rating 5 out of 5]

Women’s basketball fans, THIS is the one. It’s the most comprehensive, well-researched, honest look at the history of the WNBA. I’ve read so many that are shown through a lens of celebration; this one celebrates but also condemns where condemning needs to happen. It shows that the W’s history hasn’t always been pretty and that so much happened in those 30 years. Each season gets a whole chapter breakdown, which felt like the perfect way to tell the story. This is one you should have on your bookshelf.

[John Schorg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Over the past few years, we are starting to see a collective history of women's basketball, something that has been long overdue. This book provides the most critical piece, the story of the pre-eminent women's basketball league in the world. It is a season-by-season review of the WNBA to this point.

To the author's credit, it is not all sunshine and delight in recounting that history. We are talking about a league that gives attention to players who are Black and gay... and, by the way, women... which means there is dealing with prejudice and ignorance, problems the WNBA continues to face to this day. The author is to be lauded for her unstinting look at these issues, as well as her appreciation for the athletic excellence that makes watching games so enjoyable.

Two issues linger. One is I'm not sure that a score-by-score rehash from every playoff season is needed. Second is the occasional sense that the author is using this book to grind some axes... in the very first pages, there is a pause to grumble about how a rival publisher kept her from using the book title she wanted. Later on, there are some shots taken at Holly Rowe that seem out of place.

But this is a book that demands to be read by any serious sports fan.

[Lance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Women’s basketball has never been more popular, and the WNBA is currently enjoying some of the strongest attendance and viewership numbers in its history. In The W: A History of the WNBA, Tamryn Spruill guides readers through a comprehensive and engaging chronicle of the league’s evolution.

Spruill begins with the league’s launch in 1997, noting that the WNBA entered the landscape alongside the rival American Basketball League (ABL), and that the NBA’s financial support was crucial in the W’s early years. Each chapter follows a consistent and effective pattern: off season developments, franchise movement, draft selections, season highlights, playoff results, and award winners. Presented in a narrative rather than statistical format, this structure makes the history accessible and enjoyable.

A standout element of the book is Spruill’s reporting on franchises that folded, relocated, or emerged. She praises owners and league leadership when warranted and does not shy away from criticism when she believes poor decisions or injustices occurred. Her discussion of the Houston Comets—winners of the league’s first four championships—ceasing operations due to ownership issues is particularly compelling, as is her later coverage of the league’s handling of the Connecticut Sun sale and the planned return of the Comets in 2027.

Spruill also addresses the WNBA’s role in social justice movements, from Black Lives Matter to women’s rights, while examining moments when league leadership appeared out of step with its players. Although most of her arguments are grounded in factual reporting, there are a few instances where her conclusions feel less certain. One example is her framing of the Sacramento Monarchs’ demise as evidence of sexism in sports; given the long history of owners leveraging taxpayer-funded arenas across all professional leagues, that situation felt more like a familiar sports-business standoff than a gendered injustice.

These moments are rare, and Spruill’s overall approach to difficult subjects is thoughtful, well-supported, and illuminating. For anyone interested in the WNBA—its past, present, and future—this book is highly recommended.

I wish to thank Abrams Press for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

[Elma A · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading through this book it was well detailed and amazing.