Home › Kids Books › Inaugural Ballers: The True Story of the First Us Women's Olympic Basketball Team

Inaugural Ballers: The True Story of the First Us Women's Olympic Basketball Team

by Andrew Maraniss

The team that opened a new court

Regular price $13.38 USD
Regular price $22.30 USD Sale price $13.38 USD
Save 40%

Paperback New

Delivery to your door
In stock·Dispatches in 1–2 business days
Standard shipping* from $4.35
Standard shipping transit* 5–8 business days after dispatch

Faster options are available.

Rates and delivery estimates depend on your destination and item quantity. Estimates are informational only; the final shipping method and rate are selected at checkout.

Secure checkout
American Express Apple Pay DiscoverGoogle Pay Mastercard PayPalVisa
30-day eligible returns Returns & refunds policy

AlbakiReads Editorial

The team that opened a new court

Andrew Maraniss places the 1976 U.S. women’s Olympic basketball team within a pivotal period for women’s sports in America. The account connects the players’ Olympic debut with the later growth of the game at youth, college, and professional levels, while introducing figures including coach Billie Moore, Pat Head, Nancy Lieberman, Ann Meyers, and Lusia Harris. Black-and-white photographs and researched details about the beginnings of U.S. women’s basketball give the book a historical frame, with the team’s experience serving as a lens on social change and the expanding place of women in sport.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Teens and young adults interested in basketball history
  • Readers exploring the history of women’s sports
  • Young adult nonfiction readers interested in Olympic teams and athletes

Themes

Women’s sports historyBasketballOlympic competitionSocial changePioneering athletes

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

From the New York Times bestselling author of Strong Inside comes the inspirational true story of the birth of women's Olympic basketball at the 1976 Summer Games and the ragtag team that put US women's basketball on the map.

"A winning look at the creation and legacy of a team that went from underdogs to unstoppable."--School Library Journal, starred review

"The underdog story of America's first women's Olympic basketball team plays out in this thoughtful exploration of social change."--Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Twenty years before women's soccer became an Olympic sport and two decades before the formation of the WNBA, the 1976 US women's basketball team laid the foundation for the incredible rise of women's sports in America at the youth, collegiate, Olympic, and professional levels.

Though they were unknowns from small schools such as Delta State University, the University of Tennessee at Martin, and John F. Kennedy College of Wahoo, Nebraska, at the time of the '76 Olympics, the American team included a roster of players who would go on to become some of the most legendary figures in the history of basketball. Led by coach Billie Moore, Pat Head, Nancy Lieberman, Ann Meyers, Lusia Harris, and their underdog teammates took on the world and proved everyone wrong.

Packed with black-and-white photos and thoroughly researched details about the beginnings of US women's basketball, Inaugural Ballers is the fascinating story of the women who paved the way for girls everywhere.
Shipping & returnsShipping options, delivery timing, and our return policy.

In-stock items normally dispatch within 1–2 business days. The ZIP-code estimator on this page is informational only; the final shipping method, price, and availability are confirmed at checkout for your full order.

For the initial delivery estimate we use these transit windows after dispatch: Standard 5–8 business days, Expedited 2–4 business days, and Priority 1–2 business days. Holiday delays are not included.

Eligible items can be returned within 30 days in accordance with our return policy.

Customer reviews