Lynette Woodard made history in 1985 as the first female player to join the Harlem Globetrotters, seen here competing against the Washington Generals in Inglewood, California, in 1986.
Mike Powell/Getty Images/Hulton Archive
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Mike Powell/Getty Images/Hulton Archive
Established in 1926, the Harlem Globetrotters emerged as a pioneering basketball team composed exclusively of African American players, predating the integration of Black athletes into professional basketball by over two decades. Their unique blend of athleticism and entertainment gradually earned them widespread acclaim within the sport.
Following the passing of their founder, Abe Saperstein, in 1966, the team faced challenges in sustaining its former prominence. Ownership changed hands twice over the next twenty years, and by 1984, the new management sought innovative ways to revitalize the team’s appeal. This led to a groundbreaking decision in 1985: the Harlem Globetrotters advertised open tryouts specifically inviting female players to join their ranks.
Out of 60 women who answered the call, 20 advanced to the subsequent round of evaluations. Among the standout candidates was Lynette Woodard, a celebrated basketball talent from the University of Kansas.
Woodard, originally from Wichita, Kansas, shared with NPR how her passion for basketball was sparked early on by playing alongside her brother and inspired by her cousin, Hubert “Geese” Ausbie, a fellow Harlem Globetrotter.
“I vividly recall when I was a child, Geese visiting our home and dazzling us with his ball-handling skills,” Woodard recounted. “Watching him made me dream of one day playing for the Harlem Globetrotters myself.”
Lynette Woodard (#6) skillfully evades Korean defenders to score during the 1984 Olympic women’s basketball final in Los Angeles, where Team USA secured the gold medal. She averaged 10.5 points per game, second only to Cheryl Miller.
HEINE PEDERSEN/AFP via Getty Images
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HEINE PEDERSEN/AFP via Getty Images
At six feet tall with distinctive dark curly hair, Woodard had captained the U.S. women’s basketball team to a gold medal victory at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. She also held the NCAA career scoring record at the University of Kansas, a milestone that remained unbroken until Caitlin Clark surpassed it in 2024. In an interview with NPR in early 1985, Woodard highlighted the unique strengths she brought to the court, which made her an ideal fit for the Harlem Globetrotters’ style of play.
“My approach to the game is more finesse than power,” Woodard explained. “While I may not possess the explosive athleticism typical of male players, the skills I do have allow me to shine in my own way.”
Nearly a year later, on October 7, 1985, the Harlem Globetrotters revealed their new roster. Woodard recalled the moment in a team press video, describing the anticipation as the finalists awaited the announcement after practice.
“I was standing there, feeling nervous,” she said. “Then the announcer said, ‘And now, the first lady, from the University of Kansas,’ and called my name. That’s when it really hit me-I was the one.”
Lynette Woodard takes a free throw during her debut game with the Harlem Globetrotters against the Washington Generals on November 13, 1985, in Spokane, Washington.
Brian Drake/Getty Images/Hulton Archive
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Brian Drake/Getty Images/Hulton Archive
Woodard’s groundbreaking role as the first female Harlem Globetrotter lasted two years, during which she proudly donned the team’s iconic red, white, and blue uniform. Afterward, she continued her professional basketball career overseas, competing in leagues across Italy and Japan.
Upon returning to the United States, Woodard transitioned into sports administration, serving as the director of athletics for the Kansas City, Kansas school district. When the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) launched in 1997, she made a brief comeback, playing one season each with the Cleveland Rockers and the Detroit Shock before retiring from active competition.
As a trailblazer who shattered gender barriers in basketball, Woodard has been honored with inductions into the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (twice), and the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. Her pioneering spirit endures today, with five women currently representing the Harlem Globetrotters, continuing the legacy she helped establish four decades ago.
