Ann Meyers Drysdale is an American former basketball player, broadcaster, executive, Olympic medalist, and pioneering figure in women's sports.
Ann Meyers Drysdale developed into a multi-sport athlete while attending Cornelia Connelly High School and later Sonora High School in California. She excelled in seven sports and earned thirteen Most Valuable Player awards during her high school years. Her basketball teams compiled an 80–5 record, and in 1974 she became the first high school girls' basketball player selected to the United States national team, a milestone that brought national attention to her athletic achievements.
In 1974, she enrolled at UCLA and became the first woman to receive a full athletic scholarship at the university. During her collegiate career from 1974 to 1978, she established herself as one of the leading players in women's basketball. She averaged 17.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game while scoring 1,685 career points and collecting 819 rebounds. She became the first four-time Kodak All-American in women's basketball, earning the honor every season from 1975 through 1978. In February 1978, she recorded the first quadruple-double in NCAA Division I history, posting 20 points, 14 rebounds, 10 assists, and 10 steals against Stephen F. Austin. Later that year, she helped UCLA win the AIAW National Championship. She also received the Honda Sports Award and the Broderick Cup as the nation's top female collegiate athlete in 1978.
While in college and shortly thereafter, Meyers Drysdale was a regular member of USA Basketball. She won a gold medal at the 1975 Pan American Games, started for the United States team that earned a silver medal at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal, the first Olympic women's basketball tournament, and later won a gold medal at the 1979 FIBA World Championship. She also earned silver medals at the 1977 World University Games and the 1979 Pan American Games, while helping the United States win gold at the 1979 William Jones Cup.
In 1978, Meyers Drysdale became the first overall selection in the inaugural Women's Professional Basketball League draft, chosen by the Houston Angels. She delayed joining the league in order to maintain Olympic eligibility. In 1979, she signed a no-cut free-agent contract with the Indiana Pacers, becoming the first woman to sign with an NBA franchise and participate in an NBA tryout process. Although she was not selected for the final roster, the signing represented a historic moment in professional basketball.
Following her Pacers experience, she joined the New Jersey Gems of the Women's Professional Basketball League. During the 1979–80 season, she led the league in scoring and was named WBL Co-MVP. Her professional playing career continued through 1981. Beyond basketball, she also competed in the televised Superstars competition, winning the women's championship in 1980, 1981, and 1982.
After retiring as a player, Meyers Drysdale transitioned into broadcasting. Beginning in the early 1980s, she worked as an analyst for ESPN and later NBC, CBS, TNT, and ABC. She covered NCAA basketball, Olympic basketball, softball, volleyball, and WNBA games. She became one of the most visible female basketball analysts in American sports media and served as an Olympic basketball analyst for multiple Summer Olympic Games.
Her executive career included service as general manager, president, and vice president of the Phoenix Mercury, as well as vice president of the Phoenix Suns organization. She helped oversee periods that included multiple WNBA championships while continuing her work as a broadcaster and community representative for professional basketball organizations.
Ann Meyers Drysdale had an extensive international career with the United States women's national basketball team during a formative period for women's basketball. In 1974, she became the first high school girls' basketball player selected to the U.S. national team, an achievement that highlighted her talent at an early age. She helped the United States win a gold medal at the 1975 Pan American Games and was a starting member of the first U.S. women's Olympic basketball team at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, where the team earned the silver medal. She also represented the United States at the 1977 World University Games, winning another silver medal.
Meyers Drysdale continued to play a key role for Team USA throughout the late 1970s. In 1979, she helped the United States win the FIBA World Championship, the country's first women's world title since 1957. That same year, she earned a silver medal at the Pan American Games and won a gold medal at the William Jones Cup in Taipei. Her international accomplishments established her as one of the leading American players of her era and contributed to the growth and international success of USA Basketball during a period when women's basketball was gaining greater global recognition.
Ann Meyers Drysdale played primarily as a shooting guard but was known for her ability to perform multiple roles on the court. At 5 feet 9 inches, she combined scoring, rebounding, playmaking, and defensive production at an unusually high level. Her collegiate statistics reflected balanced contributions across points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocked shots, while her historic quadruple-double demonstrated her versatility. Coaches frequently utilized her at different positions because of her ball-handling ability, court vision, defensive instincts, and overall basketball intelligence.
Ann Meyers Drysdale was born in San Diego, California, and grew up in a large family as one of eleven children. Her father, Bob Meyers, played collegiate and professional basketball, and her brother Dave Meyers became an All-American at UCLA before playing in the NBA. Athletics played a significant role throughout her upbringing and influenced her eventual basketball career.
In 1986, she married Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Don Drysdale and adopted the surname Meyers Drysdale. The couple had three children: Don Jr., Darren, and Drew. Their marriage represented the first instance of a married couple both belonging to their respective sports' Halls of Fame. Beyond her professional responsibilities, Meyers Drysdale has maintained long-term involvement with charitable and community initiatives, including more than three decades of work with Special Olympics Southern California, where she serves as a Sports Ambassador. She resides in California and continues to be involved in basketball and sports-related activities.
Ann Meyers Drysdale's legacy is defined by a series of pioneering achievements across multiple areas of basketball. She was the first high school girls' player selected to a U.S. national team, the first woman to receive a full athletic scholarship at UCLA, the first four-time Kodak All-American in women's basketball, and the first NCAA player, male or female, to record a quadruple-double. She also became the first woman to sign a free-agent contract with an NBA team.
Her contributions extended beyond playing. Through decades of work as a broadcaster, executive, and advocate for women's athletics, she helped expand the visibility of women's basketball in the United States. Her leadership roles with the Phoenix Mercury and Phoenix Suns, combined with her presence on national television broadcasts, made her one of the most recognizable figures associated with the growth of women's basketball after the passage of Title IX.
Her induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, FIBA Hall of Fame, UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame, and numerous other institutions reflects recognition of her impact at collegiate, professional, international, and administrative levels of the sport.
Ann Meyers Drysdale earned numerous honors throughout her playing and professional career. At UCLA, she became the first four-time Kodak All-American, receiving the distinction in 1975, 1976, 1977, and 1978. She won the Honda Sports Award for basketball in 1978 and the Broderick Cup as the nation's outstanding female collegiate athlete the same year. She led UCLA to the 1978 AIAW National Championship and graduated holding twelve school records. Her jersey number 15 was later retired by UCLA, and she became the first woman inducted into the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame.
Internationally, Meyers Drysdale won a gold medal at the 1975 Pan American Games, a silver medal at the 1976 Olympic Games, a silver medal at the 1977 World University Games, a gold medal at the 1979 FIBA World Championship, a silver medal at the 1979 Pan American Games, and a gold medal at the 1979 William Jones Cup.
Professionally, she became the first overall selection in the inaugural Women's Professional Basketball League draft and was named WBL Co-MVP during the 1979–80 season with the New Jersey Gems. Her pioneering NBA contract with the Indiana Pacers remains a notable milestone in basketball history.
Her later honors include induction into the International Women's Sports Hall of Fame (1985), UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame (1988), Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (1993), National High School Hall of Fame (1995), Women's Basketball Hall of Fame as a charter member (1999), the FIBA Hall of Fame inaugural class (2007), and the Huntington Beach Sports Hall of Fame (2025). She also received the Mel Greenberg Media Award in 1999, was named a Wooden All-Time All-American in 2001, and received the NCAA Silver Anniversary Award in 2003.
Ann Elizabeth Meyers Drysdale, born March 26, 1955, in San Diego, California, is an American former basketball player, sportscaster, and sports executive whose career spans collegiate athletics, international competition, professional basketball, broadcasting, and sports administration. She is widely recognized for a series of historic milestones that helped expand opportunities for women in basketball and collegiate athletics.
Meyers Drysdale became the first high school girls' basketball player selected to the United States national team and later became the first woman to receive a full athletic scholarship at UCLA, making her one of the earliest beneficiaries of the growing opportunities for women in collegiate sports. During her four seasons at UCLA, she became the first four-time Kodak All-American in women's basketball and led the Bruins to the 1978 AIAW National Championship. She graduated holding 12 school records and accumulated 1,685 points and 819 rebounds during her collegiate career.
Internationally, she represented the United States in numerous major competitions, winning a gold medal at the 1975 Pan American Games, a silver medal at the 1976 Olympic Games, a gold medal at the 1979 FIBA World Championship, and several other international medals.
Professionally, Meyers Drysdale became the first player selected in the inaugural Women's Professional Basketball League draft and later became the first and only woman to sign a free-agent contract with an NBA team when she signed with the Indiana Pacers in 1979. Although she did not make the regular-season roster, the signing remains a significant moment in basketball history. She subsequently played professionally with the New Jersey Gems and earned WBL Co-MVP honors.
Following her playing career, Meyers Drysdale built a long career as a broadcaster and basketball executive. She worked for major networks including ESPN, NBC, CBS, and TNT, served as general manager and later president of the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury, and held executive positions with both the Phoenix Mercury and Phoenix Suns organizations. She has been inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, and the FIBA Hall of Fame.
