On Friday, Feb. 14, Molly Kazmer was named a finalist for the Naismith Hall of Fame. Kazmer, a star of the original women’s professional basketball league in the United States, the WBL, led one of the most historic careers in the league’s history. In addition to holding the record for the most points scored in a single game (55), she also held the highest single-season scoring average. Additionally, she was named MVP of the league in 1980.
“I am so overwhelmed with gratitude to be named a finalist for the Naismith Hall of Fame, a honor that I could only dream of,” Kazmer said in an email to The Next. “As a pioneer of the women’s pro game, I have been working along with my fellow board members of Legends of the Ball for the past six years to bring relevance to the WBL, the first viable league that jumpstarted women’s professional basketball in the USA.
“I am part of a forgotten era of Trailblazers and a generation of firsts,” she continued, “with Title IX, the AIAW, and the first women’s Olympic team. This recognition means so much, and I hope it helps uncover the history of the WBL and the pioneers that blazed the trail for the women’s pro game.”
Kazmer’s story, and her ultimate nomination, have earned attention largely due to the work of the organization Legends of the Ball, Inc. Run by Elizabeth (Liz) Galloway-McQuitter, who played in the league alongside Kazmer. Legends of the Ball works to bring attention and respect to the players and coaches of the WBL and showcase how the league impacted the growth of the women’s game today.
In an email to The Next, Galloway McQuitter expressed her pride in Kazmer’s nomination, as well as the significance that the nomination represents for Legends of the Ball’s mission.
“On behalf of Legends of the Ball, Inc., we are so proud of Molly being named a finalist for the Naismith class of 2025,” the statement reads. “This comes on the heels of board member Patricia Roberts and advisory board member Ann Meyers Drysdale being inducted as part of the 1976 Olympic basketball team in 2024. This recognition brings more attention to history that is often omitted because it is unknown.”