The Women's Basketball Development Association (WBDA) was a professional development female basketball league.
The season typically operated from late April until early August and concluded with a league championship hosted by one of the WBDA's member teams.
History The Women's Blue Chip Basketball League (WBCBL) was originally founded in November 2004 by Willie McCray Jr, with the assistance of co-founders Cortez Bond and Prentiss Broadway. The WBCBL provided former college players with top rate competition and exposure to professional scouts from around the world. The WBCBL also featured FIBA, former NWBL and WNBA players. The WBCBL was the first national women's development basketball league and the largest nationwide women's basketball league in North America, with a peak of 50 teams.
From 2004 to 2018, the WBCBL created hundreds of jobs across the North America and assisted in filling over 400 professional basketball jobs around the world.
In September 2018, WBCBL founder and president Willie McCray retired and handed off the day-to-day operations to William Kelly. The league was rebranded as the Women's Basketball Development Association (WBDA) and continued as a platform in professional development until 2022.
Teams +WBDA teamsEastern ConferenceCityAll Army TeamSan Antonio, TXAtlanta MonarchsAtlanta, GABaltimore LionsBaltimore, MDCleveland CrushCleveland, OHDade County Lady BullsMiami, FLDetroit DodgersDetroit, MIFort Myers BobcatsFort Myers, FLGreensboro HavocGreensboro, NCJacksonville Lady PanthersJacksonville, FLLake Erie StriveIrving, NYNew Jersey StingCherry Hill, NJOrlando BoomOrlando, FLPhiladelphia ReignPhiladelphia, PARiviera Beach HeatwaveRiviera Beach, FLToledo ThreatToledo, OHToronto Lady Elite 1sToronto, OntarioWestern ConferenceCityAS1 HoopsSan Luis Potosí, MéxicoBirmingham LegendsBirmingham, ALChicago Lady RageChicago, ILDallas CrestDallas, TXFinesse FlightTucson, AZGrand Rapids GalaxyGrand Rapids, MIKansas City Royal HeirsKansas City, MOKilleen ForceKilleen, TXLas Vegas GemsLas Vegas, NVMilwaukee AcesMilwaukee, WIOakland RiseOakland, CAPhoenix Lady Elite 1sPhoenix, AZShreveport-Bossier Lady KnightsBossier, LASoCal SplashFullerton, CATC Queen EliteMinneapolis, MN
Former teams
Arkansas Ballers Arkansas Starz Asheville Lady Panthers Atlanta Battlecats Atlanta Diamond Atlanta Flames Atlanta J.C. Crew Atlanta Riverhawks Augusta Blaze Baltimore Cougars Beaufort Bison Brevard Flames C-Port Lady Hornets Calgary Storm Capital City Cougars Carolina Lady Rush Central VA All-Stars Charleston Lowcountry Fire Charlotte Heat Charlotte Invasion Chicago Lady Steam Cleveland Crush College Park Warriors Columbia Reign Columbus Hidden Gems Columbus Lady Warriors Conyers Rockets Conway Bearcats Dallas Angels Dallas Crest Dallas Diesel Dallas Dolphins Dallas Sudden Impact DC Blue Stars DC Blue Streakz Delaware Lady Destroyers Delta Storm Detroit Black Hawks Detroit Dodgers Detroit Dolphins D.M.V. Bucks Douglasville Mustangs East Texas Drillers Elgin Rim Rockers Everett Elite EYG Plano Eagles Fayetteville Lady Rush Fayetteville Lady Xpress Flint Flames Flint Monarchs Florida Lady Knighthawks Fort Lauderdale Lions Georgia Soul Georgia Stampede Grand Rapids Galaxy Greenville Allstars Gulf Coast Storm Gulf Coast Tropics Gwinnett Starz Hudson Valley Queens Houston Jaguars Houston Sparks Huntsville Lady Hornets Illinois Shooting Stars Illinois Starlights Iowa Force Jacksonville Beach Panthers Jacksonville Cougars Jacksonville Reign Jacksonville Tigers Jersey Fusion Johnstown Super Stars Kansas City Majestics Kansas City Queens Kansas Nuggets Killeen Force Jonesboro Flames Las Vegas Gems Las Vegas Heat Lakewood Lady Panthers Lexington Lightning Long Island Wave Louisiana Bayou Angels Louisiana Blaze Louisiana All-Stars Louisville Fillies Maryland Queens Mass Marvels Memphis Express Memphis Hoopsters Memphis Lady Blazers Memphis Tigers M.I. Express Miami Rain Midwest Flyers Minnesota Black Ice Mississippi Dream Mississippi Rockstars Mississippi Storm Missouri Arch Angels Montgomery Dream Music City Icons Native Dream Nebraska Strikers New Orleans Riders North Whitehall Lasers North Texas Flash NYC Exodus Oakland-Macomb Run Oakland Rise Ohio Dynasty Oklahoma Flash Oklahoma Heat Olympia Matrix Orange Park Crusaders Orlando Extreme Orlando Splash Orlando Stars Out West Elite Palm Beach Sabers Palm Beach Storm Phoenix Lady Elite 1's Phoenix Rockets Portland Energy RDU Sting Richmond Flames Riviera Beach Heatwave Rock County Robins San Antonio Crusaders San Diego Sol San Diego Sprint Savannah Warriors Seattle Express Shreveport Ballers Shreveport Sting Shreveport Sting St. Louis Surge SoCal Splash South Carolina Legends South Carolina Tacoma Stars Tallahassee Thunder Tampa Five Star Tampa X-Factor Tennessee Trapstars Texas Storm Toledo Threat Toronto Elite 1's Toronto Stealth Tucson Sol USA Elite Virginia Lady Stallions Virginia Lady Supreme Virginia Lady Warriors West Coast Lioness Winston-Salem Lady Warcats
Champions Season WBCBL Champion Runner-up Result Host city 2005 Conyers Conquerors Dallas Diesel 67-59 Dallas, TX 2006 Conyers Conquerors Atlanta Flames 57-53 Atlanta, GA 2007 Arkansas Ballers Shreveport Sting 90-50 Memphis, TN 2008 Tampa X Factor Savannah Lady Warriors 73-71 Mobile, AL 2009 Savannah Lady Warriors Chicago Lady Steam 74-72 Tampa, FL 2010 Rock County Robins Gulf Coast Storm 71-67 Miami Gardens, FL 2011 Rock County Robins Orlando Extreme 85-73 Atlanta, GA 2012 Louisiana Bayou Angels St. Louis Surge 90-80 Miami Lakes, FL 2013 Auburn Flyers Louisiana Bayou Angels 95-73 St. Louis, MO 2014 St. Louis Surge Auburn Flyers 81-69 New Orleans, LA 2015 Charlotte Invasion St. Louis Surge 98-86 Greenville, SC 2016 St. Louis Surge Midwest Flyers 77-62 San Antonio, Texas 2017 Georgia Soul St. Louis Surge 64-63 St. Louis, MO 2018 Atlanta Monarchs St. Louis Surge 80-79 Charlotte, NCSeasonWBDA ChampionRunner-upResultHost city2019Orlando BoomPhoenix Lady Elite 1's87-82Kansas City, MO 2020 Not held due to COVID-19 2021Southwest Desert LynxDenver Dynasty65-57Duncanville, Texas2022Orlando BoomMaryland Jewels 72-56
WBCBL Professional Basketball Trailblazer Award In honor of the Women's Blue Chip Basketball League's 10th anniversary, the 2015 Women's Professional Basketball "Trailblazer" Award was given on August 2, 2015, to ten female basketball icons, including Cynthia Cooper, Nancy Lieberman, Sarah Campbell, Dr. Robelyn Garcia, Lynette Woodard, Kandi Conda, Lisa Leslie, E.C. Hill, Dr. Geri Kay Hart and Tamika Catchings. The award recognizes some of the most influential people in professional women's basketball, specifically those who helped blaze the trail, shape the overall landscape and pave the way for women's professional basketball.
References
External links Official WBDA website