WNBA: Lynette Woodard is ecstatic for expansion—but wants even more

Put a ball in Lynette Woodard’s hands and she was golden. She proved it with her incomparable resume at every level of play.

For college, Woodard stayed close to home to play at the University of Kansas. The native of Wichita gave it her all under legendary coach Marian Washington. A two-time All-American, Woodard led the Jayhawks to three-consecutive Big Eight titles, and at one point, she was the all-time leading scorer in women’s college basketball with 3,649 points. (A record that finally received some appreciation during Caitlin Clark’s record-breaking scoring chase, as the NCAA had not recognized the statistical achievements of players under the old AIAW.)

On the international level, she shined at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, giving the United States its first gold medal in women’s basketball. Woodard then transitioned into playing professionally in Italy (1981-83, 1987-89) and Japan (1990-93). In addition, Woodard became the first woman to join the Harlem Globetrotters (1985-87).

Then, she got the chance to come home and play professionally when the WNBA launched in 1997. Woodard played for the Cleveland Rockers (1997) and Detroit Shock (1998).

With the Rockers, Woodard played in 28 games, starting 27. She averaged 7.8 points and 4.2 assists per game. The following year, Woodard joined Detroit, where she started in only eight games and averaged 3.5 points per game. Nevertheless, she closed out her playing career with a bang on Aug. 19, 1998, scoring 18 points, grabbing nine rebounds and dishing out three assists in an 82-68 over the New York Liberty.

In 2004, Woodard was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame; in 2005, she was enshrined in the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.

With the news of the WNBA expanding into Toronto and Portland in 2026, followed by Cleveland in 2028, Detroit in 2029 and Philadelphia in 2030, Woodard is thrilled that not only two of the teams she played for are returning, but also about the statement that expansion makes about the growth of women’s basketball.

In an interview with Swish Appeal, Woodard looks back fondly on her brief stint in the WNBA, the prospects for the future of the league, the current state of the game and her desire to be part of an ownership group that brings a team to her adopted home town of Kansas City.

Cleveland and Detroit, two teams you played for, what do you make of that?

I think it’s exciting, very bold moves. I think it, for me, reflects just how much momentum the WNBA has, right? It’s hot, it’s sizzling. I mean, just to think about…Cleveland in ‘28 and Detroit in ‘29 and Philly in ‘30. I’m going to push a little harder. I’d like to see Kansas City in ‘31. That’s going to bring it to more teams than they’ve ever had before. And I just think the growth is making a statement that women’s basketball is here to stay.

Just as a follow-up to that. If Kansas City were to form an ownership group, would you be up there saying, “Hey, make sure that I’m included in that. I got something I want to say and help make it come alive.”

Oh, absolutely. You know, I’m, of course, excited for Cleveland, Detroit and Philly, especially Cleveland and Detroit because I played in both of those cities. But just to think that it’s being mentioned, it very well could be coming along one day. And I won’t give up hope that it will happen one day.

How would you describe your experience playing in Cleveland and Detroit?

I had a wonderful time both of those seasons. Well of course, playing in Cleveland my first year, we had fan support, always events that generated interest in the team and the game. I remember everywhere we went in the city, people were aware. And it really made it very nice. I never looked around and [saw] the stands were empty at all in Cleveland, and neither Detroit. And that was an expansion team game; they appreciated the women’s team. And from the NBA, of course, they’re known champions in both of those cities. So I can’t see them looking for anything less from a women’s team.

Do you think it makes sense for cities like Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia to have WNBA teams because there’s already a very vibrant basketball culture within those cities?

I think it’s smart. And then with the backing of the NBA, it just makes things more stable, if you will. The infrastructure is there. The marketing will certainly be there. And I think they’re going to rest on that. When I look at the amounts of dollars that are being spent on the expansion fee just itself… let alone any facilities or any of the other things that come into play. I mean, it’s like 250 million…that’s not as bad. As the young people say, that’s not a “bad bag.”

By the time the WNBA arrived in 1997, you had won the gold medal in 1984 in Los Angeles for Team USA, you had played in Italy, you played in Japan and you had had a stellar college career, of course. By that point in time, did you ever think that playing professionally in America was in the cards?

I can say that I always hoped that it would be. I played, you know, many years overseas and like you said, all the other venues, the Olympics and World Championships and things of this nature. But I never gave up hope. And when it happened, you know, I just had to smile inside and just say I’m glad that I had the faith that I did because it came to pass. And here it is looping back again. Women’s basketball is at its all-time high. I mean, the wave is high. The excitement surrounding the players with Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, the rookie class. It’s exciting. And then people, I mean, what excites me the most is that people who are not regular sports fans or women’s basketball fans are chiming in and saying how much they appreciate the game.

The WNBA, as you know, is in the midst of CBA negotiations, and there’s been talk about expansion as it relates to roster expansion. So in other words, it’s one thing to develop new teams in new cities, but if the roster numbers are going to stay the same, then it could look like business as usual. With all that in mind, and with these new teams coming into fruition in the years ahead, what would you say is the best path forward to ensure that those teams are here to stay?

Wow, that’s a tough question. I don’t know. I think I would have to leave that in the hands of the Commissioner and those involved that are sitting around that table because I’m sure they’re having meetings every day and they’re privy to information that I just can’t have. But, you know, I’m hoping that they are considering…all the ways that dollars can be made from these expansion teams. The restaurants, the bars, the the foot traffic on the day of the game, the special promotions, you know all of those things come to mind first. And I think there’s plenty of talent out here that could fill those rosters, and time will tell. But I’m always hoping for the best.

What does this say about the current state of women’s basketball and what does it mean for the future of women’s basketball?

I think that the growth is showing confidence in the women’s game. And I just have to feel that the potential is there. And it just has to be built upon. And as they say, “Build it and it will come.” And they’re taking those steps, and we just have to sit back and enjoy it.