Ann Meyers
Encyclopedia
Ann Meyers Drysdale (born Ann Elizabeth Meyers March 26, 1955 in San Diego) is a retired American basketball player and sportscaster
. She was a standout player in high school, college, the Olympic Games, international tournaments, and the professional levels.
Meyers was the first player to be part of the U.S. national team
while still in high school. She was the second woman to be signed to a four-year athletic scholarship for college, at UCLA. She was also the only woman to sign a contract with a National Basketball Association
team, the Indiana Pacers
(1979).
Meyers currently resides in Huntington Beach, California
, and serves as the president and general manager for the WNBA
's Phoenix Mercury
and vice president of the NBA's Phoenix Suns
. For over 26 years, she served as a network television sports analyst for ESPN
, CBS
, and NBC
.
. She was the sixth of eleven children. One brother, Dave
, was an All-American at UCLA and went on to play for the Milwaukee Bucks
.
in La Habra, California
. As an all-around athlete, she competed in softball
, badminton, field hockey
, and tennis, as well as basketball. She earned thirteen Most Valuable Player
awards in high school sports. She led her basketball teams to an 80–5 record. In 1974, Myers became the first high school student to play for the U.S. national team
.
team (1976–1979), the first woman to be so honored at any university. In a game against Stephen F. Austin
on February 18, 1978, she recorded the first quadruple-double in NCAA Division I basketball history, with 20 points, 14 rebounds, 10 assists and 10 steals. Since then, University of Tennessee at Martin
junior guard Lester Hudson
is the only other Division I basketball player, male or female, to have done so. On March 25, 1978, her UCLA Bruins team was the AIAW national champion: UCLA defeated Maryland
, 90–74 at Pauley Pavilion
. While at UCLA (1976–1979), she became the first four-time All American women's basketball player. She was the winner of the Honda Sports Award
as outstanding women's college basketball player of the year, as well as the Broderick Cup
for outstanding woman athlete of the year in 1978. As of 2008, she still holds UCLA career records for season steals (125), career steals (403), and career blocked shots (101).
that won the 1975 Pan American Games
Gold medal. She played on the US Olympic basketball team
that won a Silver Medal in the 1976 Summer Olympics
in Montreal
. That team was led by Billie Moore
, her own coach at UCLA. She was on the 1979 US team
that won the 1979 FIBA World Championship for Women
Gold medal. This was the first time since 1957 that the United States won a World Championship title. She also won silver medals at the 1979 Pan American Games
and 1977 World University Games
.
. She participated in three-day tryouts for the team, the first by any woman for the NBA, but eventually was not chosen for the final squad. She became a color analyst for the NBA at a time when there were very few women in sports casting.
Meyers was the first woman player drafted by the Women's Professional Basketball League
(WPBL
) in 1978 to the New Jersey Gems
. Playing for the Gems, Myers was the WPBL Co-MVP for the 1979–1980. She wore jersey No. 14 for the Gems. She also won TV's Women Superstars
competition three consecutive years: 1980, 1981, and 1982. Meyers served as an analyst for NBC Sports
coverage of Basketball at the 2008 Summer Olympics
.
Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Don Drysdale
, and took the name Ann Meyers Drysdale. It was the first time that a married couple were members of their respective sports' Halls of Fame
. Meyers and Drysdale had three children together: Don Jr. "D.J." (son), Darren (son), and Drew (daughter).
She was widowed on July 3, 1993 when Drysdale died of a heart attack in Montreal, Canada.
Meyers is the sister of former NBA player Dave Meyers
, who also played college basketball at UCLA, under legendary coach John Wooden
. He played four seasons for the Milwaukee Bucks
after being one of four players traded from the Los Angeles Lakers
(who had selected him in the first round of the 1975 NBA Draft
) for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
.
. She was offered a job to broadcast the Chicago Bulls
games in 1993, but she turned it down due to family considerations.
She served as an analyst on ESPN's coverage of the WNBA and previously worked for NBC Sports full-time as its lead WNBA analyst from 1997 to 2002. Meyers also worked "Hoop-It-Up" telecasts in 1994 and 1995. Since 1983, she has served as an ESPN
analyst for various events including both men's and women's NCAA basketball games.
She also worked as a color analyst for the Indiana Pacers
making her the first woman to do game analysis for the team.
Meyers led the U.S. to a silver medal at the 1976 Olympic Games
in Montreal
as women's basketball made its Olympic debut, and returned eight years later as an announcer for ABC Sports
at the 1984 Summer Olympics
in Los Angeles. She has since covered a wide variety of sports for major networks in the U.S, including the 1986, 1990 and 1994 Goodwill Games
, men's and women's college basketball
, and NCAA softball and volleyball.
Sportscaster
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
. She was a standout player in high school, college, the Olympic Games, international tournaments, and the professional levels.
Meyers was the first player to be part of the U.S. national team
USA Basketball
USA Basketball is a non-profit organization and the governing body for basketball in the United States. The organization represents the United States in FIBA and the men's and women's national basketball teams in the United States Olympic Committee...
while still in high school. She was the second woman to be signed to a four-year athletic scholarship for college, at UCLA. She was also the only woman to sign a contract with a National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
team, the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
(1979).
Meyers currently resides in Huntington Beach, California
Huntington Beach, California
Huntington Beach is a seaside city in Orange County in Southern California. According to the 2010 census, the city population was 189,992; making it the largest beach city in Orange County in terms of population...
, and serves as the president and general manager for the WNBA
Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
's Phoenix Mercury
Phoenix Mercury
The Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises...
and vice president of the NBA's Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
. For over 26 years, she served as a network television sports analyst for ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
, CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
, and NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
.
Early life
Meyers was born on March 26, 1955 to Bob and Patricia Meyers. Her father played guard for Marquette University, and then the Shooting Stars, a professional team in Milwaukee, WisconsinMilwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
. She was the sixth of eleven children. One brother, Dave
David Meyers (basketball)
David William Meyers is a retired American college basketball forward/center at the University of California, Los Angeles and professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association for the Milwaukee Bucks...
, was an All-American at UCLA and went on to play for the Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
.
High school
Meyers attended Sonora High SchoolSonora High School
Sonora High School is a public high school located at 401 S. Palm Street in La Habra, north Orange County, California. One of seven high schools in the Fullerton Joint Union High School District, Sonora served over 2,100 students in the 2009-2010 school year...
in La Habra, California
La Habra, California
La Habra is a city in the northwestern corner of Orange County, California. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 60,239. Its related city, La Habra Heights is located to the north of La Habra, and is in Los Angeles County.-Origin of name:...
. As an all-around athlete, she competed in softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
, badminton, field hockey
Field hockey
Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
, and tennis, as well as basketball. She earned thirteen Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
awards in high school sports. She led her basketball teams to an 80–5 record. In 1974, Myers became the first high school student to play for the U.S. national team
USA Basketball
USA Basketball is a non-profit organization and the governing body for basketball in the United States. The organization represents the United States in FIBA and the men's and women's national basketball teams in the United States Olympic Committee...
.
College
Meyers was a four-year athletic scholarship player for the UCLA Bruins women's basketballUCLA Bruins women's basketball
The UCLA Bruins women's basketball program was established in 1974. The Current coach is Cori Close The team was a member of the AIAW until joining the NCAA in 1984...
team (1976–1979), the first woman to be so honored at any university. In a game against Stephen F. Austin
Stephen F. Austin State University
Stephen F. Austin State University is a public university located in Nacogdoches, Texas, United States. Founded as a teachers' college in 1923, the university was named after one of Texas' founding fathers, Stephen F. Austin. Its campus resides on part of the homestead of another Texas founding...
on February 18, 1978, she recorded the first quadruple-double in NCAA Division I basketball history, with 20 points, 14 rebounds, 10 assists and 10 steals. Since then, University of Tennessee at Martin
University of Tennessee at Martin
The University of Tennessee at Martin is a campus in the University of Tennessee system. Other campuses include the flagship campus in Knoxville, the Chattanooga campus, the Center for the Health Sciences in Memphis, and the Space Institute in Tullahoma...
junior guard Lester Hudson
Lester Hudson
Lester Hudson is an American basketball guard. In the 2007–08 season, Hudson recorded the only quadruple-double in NCAA history. At the conclusion of the season, he declared himself for the 2008 NBA Draft, but later withdrew. Hudson was drafted by the Boston Celtics with the 58th pick of the...
is the only other Division I basketball player, male or female, to have done so. On March 25, 1978, her UCLA Bruins team was the AIAW national champion: UCLA defeated Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
, 90–74 at Pauley Pavilion
Pauley Pavilion
Edwin W. Pauley Pavilion, commonly known as Pauley Pavilion, is an indoor arena located in the Westwood Village district of Los Angeles, California, on the campus of UCLA. It is home to the UCLA Bruins men's and women's basketball teams...
. While at UCLA (1976–1979), she became the first four-time All American women's basketball player. She was the winner of the Honda Sports Award
Honda Sports Award
The Honda Sports Award is an annual award in the United States of America, given to the best collegiate female athlete in each of twelve sports. There are four nominees for each sport, and the twelve winners of the Honda Award are automatically in the running for the Honda-Broderick Cup award, as...
as outstanding women's college basketball player of the year, as well as the Broderick Cup
Honda-Broderick Cup
The Honda-Broderick Cup is a sports award for college-level female athletes. The awards are voted on by a national panel of more than 1000 collegiate athletic directors. It was first presented by the late Thomas Broderick, owner of a sports apparel company, in 1977, with the first award going to...
for outstanding woman athlete of the year in 1978. As of 2008, she still holds UCLA career records for season steals (125), career steals (403), and career blocked shots (101).
Olympics and World competition
Meyers was a member of the US teamUnited States women's national basketball team
The United States women's national basketball team are the defending Olympic champions in women's basketball. The team is composed of some of the top American players in the WNBA and the women's college game....
that won the 1975 Pan American Games
1975 Pan American Games
The 7th Pan American Games were held in Mexico City, Mexico, from October 12 to October 26, 1975, exactly twenty years after the 2nd Pan American Games were held there...
Gold medal. She played on the US Olympic basketball team
United States women's national basketball team
The United States women's national basketball team are the defending Olympic champions in women's basketball. The team is composed of some of the top American players in the WNBA and the women's college game....
that won a Silver Medal in the 1976 Summer Olympics
Basketball at the 1976 Summer Olympics
Basketball contests at the 1976 Summer Olympics took place from July 18 to July 27 at the Centre Étienne Desmarteau and the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Canada. Women's basketball was introduced to the Olympic program for the first time at this Games...
in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. That team was led by Billie Moore
Billie Moore
Billie J. Moore is an American basketball coach. She was the first coach in women's basketball history to lead teams from two different schools to national championships...
, her own coach at UCLA. She was on the 1979 US team
United States women's national basketball team
The United States women's national basketball team are the defending Olympic champions in women's basketball. The team is composed of some of the top American players in the WNBA and the women's college game....
that won the 1979 FIBA World Championship for Women
FIBA World Championship for Women
The FIBA World Championship for Women is a world basketball tournament for women's national teams held quadrennially...
Gold medal. This was the first time since 1957 that the United States won a World Championship title. She also won silver medals at the 1979 Pan American Games
1979 Pan American Games
The 8th Pan American Games were held in San Juan, Puerto Rico, from July 1 to July 15, 1979. The capital of Puerto Rico played host to 3,700 athletes from 34 countries competing in 22 sports, making the VIII Pan American Games the largest to date. Security was a concern due to turmoil over the...
and 1977 World University Games
1977 Summer Universiade
The 1977 Summer Universiade, also known as the IX Summer Universiade, took place in Sofia, Bulgaria.-Medal table:...
.
Professional
In 1980, Meyers made NBA history when she signed a $50,000 no-cut contract with NBA's Indiana PacersIndiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
. She participated in three-day tryouts for the team, the first by any woman for the NBA, but eventually was not chosen for the final squad. She became a color analyst for the NBA at a time when there were very few women in sports casting.
Meyers was the first woman player drafted by the Women's Professional Basketball League
Women's Professional Basketball League
The Women's Professional Basketball League was a professional women's basketball league in the United States. The league played three seasons from the fall of 1978 to the spring of 1981...
(WPBL
Women's Professional Basketball League
The Women's Professional Basketball League was a professional women's basketball league in the United States. The league played three seasons from the fall of 1978 to the spring of 1981...
) in 1978 to the New Jersey Gems
New Jersey Gems
The New Jersey Gems was a franchise that played in the Women's Professional Basketball League, one of only three teams in the league to survive through all three seasons, from 1978-79 to 1980-81. The team made the league playoffs once, losing in the first round...
. Playing for the Gems, Myers was the WPBL Co-MVP for the 1979–1980. She wore jersey No. 14 for the Gems. She also won TV's Women Superstars
Superstars
Superstars is an all-around sports competition that pits elite athletes from different sports against one another in a series of athletic events resembling a decathlon....
competition three consecutive years: 1980, 1981, and 1982. Meyers served as an analyst for NBC Sports
NBC Sports
NBC Sports is the sports division of the NBC television network. Formerly "a service of NBC News," it broadcasts a diverse array of programs, including the Olympic Games, the NFL, the NHL, MLS, Notre Dame football, the PGA Tour, the Triple Crown, and the French Open, among others...
coverage of Basketball at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Basketball at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Basketball contests at the 2008 Olympic Games were held from August 9, 2008 to August 24, 2008. Competitions were held at the Wukesong Indoor Stadium in Beijing, China...
.
Honors and Hall of Fame inductions
- Meyers received her first Hall of FameHall of FameA hall of fame, wall of fame, walk of fame, walk of stars or avenue of stars is a type of attraction established for any field of endeavor to honor individuals of noteworthy achievement in that field...
membership in 1985, when she was inducted into the International Women's Sports Hall of Fame in the contemporary category for basketball. - She was inducted into the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame in 1988 as the first woman inductee.
- Her No. 15 basketball jersey was one of the first four retired by UCLA. She was honored on February 3, 1990 in a ceremony in Pauley PavilionPauley PavilionEdwin W. Pauley Pavilion, commonly known as Pauley Pavilion, is an indoor arena located in the Westwood Village district of Los Angeles, California, on the campus of UCLA. It is home to the UCLA Bruins men's and women's basketball teams...
, along with Denise CurryDenise CurryDenise Curry is an American former basketball player and college and professional basketball coach. As of the 2007-2008 season, she is in her fifth year as an assistant basketball coach for the Cal State Long Beach women's basketball team.-College basketball:Curry moved to Davis, California by the...
(#12), Kareem Abdul-JabbarKareem Abdul-JabbarKareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points. During his career with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969 to 1989, Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and a record six regular season...
(#33), and Bill WaltonBill WaltonWilliam Theodore "Bill" Walton III is a retired American basketball player and television sportscaster. The "Big Red-Head", as he was called, achieved superstardom playing for John Wooden's powerhouse UCLA Bruins in the early '70s, winning three straight College Player of the Year Awards, while...
(#32). This was the key moment in the "Pauley at 25" celebration of twenty-five years of the arena. The primary criteria for being chosen was that all four players were three-time All-Americans. - On May 10, 1993, she was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, MassachusettsSpringfield, MassachusettsSpringfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
as the first woman inductee. - In 1994, Myers was the first woman ever to compete in the Celebrity Golf Association Championship.
- On January 31, 1995, she attended a ceremony in the gym of her high school, Sonora High School, in La Habra, CaliforniaLa Habra, CaliforniaLa Habra is a city in the northwestern corner of Orange County, California. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 60,239. Its related city, La Habra Heights is located to the north of La Habra, and is in Los Angeles County.-Origin of name:...
, where her player jersey was officially retired, and hung in display - She was inducted into the National High School Hall of Fame in 1995.
- In 1999, Meyers received the Mel Greenberg Media AwardMel Greenberg Media AwardThe Mel Greenberg Media Award, named after Women's Basketball Hall of Fame Legend Mel Greenberg, is presented annually by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association to "a member of the media who has best displayed a commitment to women’s basketball and to advancing the role of the media in the...
, presented by the WBCAWomen's Basketball Coaches AssociationThe Women's Basketball Coaches Association is an association of coaches of women's basketball teams at all levels.The organization was formed in 1981, with the goal of addressing the needs of women's basketball coaches.The mission of the WBCA is:...
. - On June 5, 1999, she was inducted as a charter member of the Women's Basketball Hall of FameWomen's Basketball Hall of FameThe Women's Basketball Hall of Fame honors men and women who have contributed to the sport of women's basketball. The Hall of Fame opened in 1999 in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA...
, in Knoxville, TennesseeKnoxville, TennesseeFounded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
. - In 2001, Meyers was honored as a Wooden All-Time All-American by the Wooden awardJohn R. Wooden AwardThe John R. Wooden Award is an award given annually to the most outstanding men's and women's college basketball players. The program consists of the men's and women's Player of the Year awards, the Legends of Coaching award and recognizes the All–America Teams.The awards, given by the Los...
. - She was a 2003 NCAA Silver Anniversary AwardsSilver Anniversary Awards (NCAA)The Silver Anniversary Awards are given each year by the American National Collegiate Athletic Association to recognize six distinguished former student-athletes on their 25th anniversary as college graduates. The Silver Anniversary Awards were first given in 1973, when five distinguished former...
recipient. She joins William Naulls (1981), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1994), and Bill Walton (1999) as UCLA athletes who have been so honored on the . - In 2007, she was enshrined in the FIBA Hall of FameFIBA Hall of FameFIBA Hall of Fame honors basketball players, coaches and administrators who have contributed to international competitive basketball. It was established by FIBA in 1991. It includes the "Samaranch Library", the biggest basketball library in the world that, as of 2007, has over 10,000 basketball...
as part of the inaugural class of 2007. She is 1 of 3 United States citizens, along with male player Bill RussellBill RussellWilliam Felton "Bill" Russell is a retired American professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association...
and coach Dean SmithDean SmithDean Edwards Smith is a retired American head coach of men's college basketball. Originally from Emporia, Kansas, Smith has been called a “coaching legend” by the Basketball Hall of Fame. Smith is best known for his successful 36-year coaching tenure at the University of North Carolina at Chapel...
so honored.
Family
On November 1, 1986, she married former Los Angeles DodgerLos Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Don Drysdale
Don Drysdale
Donald Scott "Don" Drysdale was a Major League Baseball player and Hall of Fame right-handed pitcher with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was one of the dominant starting pitchers of the 1960s, and became a radio and television broadcaster following his playing career...
, and took the name Ann Meyers Drysdale. It was the first time that a married couple were members of their respective sports' Halls of Fame
Hall of Fame
A hall of fame, wall of fame, walk of fame, walk of stars or avenue of stars is a type of attraction established for any field of endeavor to honor individuals of noteworthy achievement in that field...
. Meyers and Drysdale had three children together: Don Jr. "D.J." (son), Darren (son), and Drew (daughter).
She was widowed on July 3, 1993 when Drysdale died of a heart attack in Montreal, Canada.
Meyers is the sister of former NBA player Dave Meyers
David Meyers (basketball)
David William Meyers is a retired American college basketball forward/center at the University of California, Los Angeles and professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association for the Milwaukee Bucks...
, who also played college basketball at UCLA, under legendary coach John Wooden
John Wooden
John Robert Wooden was an American basketball player and coach. Nicknamed the "Wizard of Westwood", he won ten NCAA national championships in a 12-year period — seven in a row — as head coach at UCLA, an unprecedented feat. Within this period, his teams won a record 88 consecutive games...
. He played four seasons for the Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
after being one of four players traded from the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
(who had selected him in the first round of the 1975 NBA Draft
1975 NBA Draft
The 1975 NBA Draft was the 29th annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on May 29, 1975 before the 1975–76 season. In this draft, 18 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players...
) for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points. During his career with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969 to 1989, Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and a record six regular season...
.
Broadcasting career
Meyers has been the women's basketball analyst at the Summer Olympics since the NBC's coverage of the 2000 Sydney Olympics for NBC SportsNBC Sports
NBC Sports is the sports division of the NBC television network. Formerly "a service of NBC News," it broadcasts a diverse array of programs, including the Olympic Games, the NFL, the NHL, MLS, Notre Dame football, the PGA Tour, the Triple Crown, and the French Open, among others...
. She was offered a job to broadcast the Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
games in 1993, but she turned it down due to family considerations.
She served as an analyst on ESPN's coverage of the WNBA and previously worked for NBC Sports full-time as its lead WNBA analyst from 1997 to 2002. Meyers also worked "Hoop-It-Up" telecasts in 1994 and 1995. Since 1983, she has served as an ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
analyst for various events including both men's and women's NCAA basketball games.
She also worked as a color analyst for the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
making her the first woman to do game analysis for the team.
Meyers led the U.S. to a silver medal at the 1976 Olympic Games
1976 Summer Olympics
The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
as women's basketball made its Olympic debut, and returned eight years later as an announcer for ABC Sports
Olympics on ABC
The Olympics on ABC was the branding for Olympic Games coverage which aired in the United States on the broadcast network ABC. ABC first televised the Winter Olympic Games in 1964. ABC first televised the Summer Olympic Games in 1968...
at the 1984 Summer Olympics
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
in Los Angeles. She has since covered a wide variety of sports for major networks in the U.S, including the 1986, 1990 and 1994 Goodwill Games
Goodwill Games
The Goodwill Games was an international sports competition, created by Ted Turner in reaction to the political troubles surrounding the Olympic Games of the 1980s...
, men's and women's college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
, and NCAA softball and volleyball.
See also
- List of Silver Anniversary Awards (NCAA) Recipients
- Don DrysdaleDon DrysdaleDonald Scott "Don" Drysdale was a Major League Baseball player and Hall of Fame right-handed pitcher with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was one of the dominant starting pitchers of the 1960s, and became a radio and television broadcaster following his playing career...
- UCLA Bruins women's basketballUCLA Bruins women's basketballThe UCLA Bruins women's basketball program was established in 1974. The Current coach is Cori Close The team was a member of the AIAW until joining the NCAA in 1984...