Val Ackerman

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Val Ackerman

Inducted:
2021

Val Ackerman NBA Hall of Fame

Player Stats

5 ft 11 in(180 cm)
160 lbs (73 kg)

Born:
November 7, 1959
Lakewood Township, New Jersey, U.S.

Position:
Contributor

College:
University of Virginia

Val Ackerman is a pioneering sports executive best known as the founding president of the WNBA, where she led the league from its launch in 1996 through 2005. A former standout basketball player at the University of Virginia, Ackerman went on to work for USA Basketball and the NBA before becoming the face of professional women’s basketball.

Under her leadership, the WNBA debuted in 1997 and quickly became a cornerstone of women’s sports, thanks to her vision, tireless advocacy, and commitment to player development and league stability. After the WNBA, she served as President of USA Basketball and later became the first commissioner of the Big East Conference.

Ackerman’s legacy includes groundbreaking contributions to basketball governance, gender equity in sports, and global promotion of the game. She was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021.

Ackerman's Awards and Records

    • Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee (2021)
    • Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee (2011)
    • USA Basketball Edward S. Steitz Award
    • WBCA Jostens-Berenson Lifetime Achievement Award
    • Sporting News “100 Most Powerful People in Sports”
    • Title IX Trailblazer in collegiate and professional sports
    • Board Member, Basketball Hall of Fame and Knight Commission

     

    Career

    Founding President
    WNBA (1996–2005)
    President
    USA Basketball (2005–2008)
    Commissioner
    Big East Conference (2013–Present)

    Career Stats

    As a Player
    College:
    University of Virginia
    Games Played:
    122
    Points:
    1,485
    Honors:
    4-year starter, All-ACC, Academic All-American
    Notable:
    One of the first female scholarship athletes at UVA