| Women's Basketball Development Association | |
| Sport: | Basketball |
| Founded: | 2004 |
| Inaugural: | 2005 |
| President: | William Kelly |
| Teams: | 30 |
| Country: | United States |
| Continent: | FIBA Americas (Americas) |
| Champion: | Orlando Boom (2019) |
| Most Champs: | Conyers Conquers, Rock County Robins, and St. Louis Surge (2) |
| Website: | WBDApro.com |
The Women's Basketball Development Association (WBDA) is a professional development female basketball league.
The season typically operates from late April until early August and concludes with a league championship hosted by one of the WBDAs member teams.
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.[1] The league was rebranded as the Women's Basketball Development Association (WBDA) and continues as a platform in professional development.
| All Army Team | San Antonio, TX | |
| Atlanta Monarchs | Atlanta, GA | |
| Baltimore Lions | Baltimore, MD | |
| Cleveland Crush | Cleveland, OH | |
| Dade County Lady Bulls | Miami, FL | |
| Detroit Dodgers | Detroit, MI | |
| Fort Myers Bobcats | Fort Myers, FL | |
| Greensboro Havoc | Greensboro, NC | |
| Jacksonville Lady Panthers | Jacksonville, FL | |
| Lake Erie Strive | Irving, NY | |
| New Jersey Sting | Cherry Hill, NJ | |
| Orlando Boom | Orlando, FL | |
| Philadelphia Reign | Philadelphia, PA | |
| Riviera Beach Heatwave | Riviera Beach, FL | |
| Toledo Threat | Toledo, OH | |
| Toronto Lady Elite 1s | Toronto, Ontario | |
| Western Conference | City | |
|---|---|---|
| AS1 Hoops | San Luis PotosÃ, México | |
| Birmingham Legends | Birmingham, AL | |
| Chicago Lady Rage | Chicago, IL | |
| Dallas Crest | Dallas, TX | |
| Finesse Flight | Tucson, AZ | |
| Grand Rapids Galaxy | Grand Rapids, MI | |
| Kansas City Royal Heirs | Kansas City, MO | |
| Killeen Force | Killeen, TX | |
| Las Vegas Gems | Las Vegas, NV | |
| Milwaukee Aces | Milwaukee, WI | |
| Oakland Rise | Oakland, CA | |
| Phoenix Lady Elite 1s | Phoenix, AZ | |
| Shreveport-Bossier Lady Knights | Bossier, LA | |
| SoCal Splash | Fullerton, CA | |
| TC Queen Elite | Minneapolis, MN |
| 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[2] | 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[3] | Louisiana Bayou Angels | 95-73 | St. Louis, MO | |
| 2014 | St. Louis Surge[4] | Auburn Flyers | 81-69 | New Orleans, LA | |
| 2015 | Charlotte Invasion[5] | 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, NC | |
| Season | WBDA Champion | Runner-up | Result | Host city | |
| 2019 | Orlando Boom | Phoenix Lady Elite 1's | 87-82 | Kansas City, MO | |
| 2020 | Not held due to COVID-19 | ||||
| 2021 | Southwest Desert Lynx | Denver Dynasty | 65-57 | Duncanville, Texas | |
| 2022 | Orlando Boom | Maryland Jewels | 72-56 |
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.[6] 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.[7]