History was made Wednesday night in Phoenix, where the Suns were taking on the Charlotte Hornets. It was the first time ever two local NBA telecasts of the same game featured female analysts.
For the Charlotte Hornets, Stephanie Ready was in the booth for FOX Sports Southeast and for the Phoenix Suns, Ann Meyers Drysdale was in the booth for FOX Sports Arizona.
History in the making. Tonight marks 1st time in @nba history two female analysts worked same game. #SunsVsHornets pic.twitter.com/vQxPdhzHXr
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) January 7, 2016
Ready made the move from the Hornets sideline to the broadcast booth with Eric Collins and Dell Curry in late August. The move made Ready the first full-time female NBA game analyst.
Meyers Drysdale joined the Phoenix Suns broadcast team three years before Ready did, back in August of 2012. She was assigned for up to 20 games during her first season. She gained notoriety for becoming the first female player to sign an NBA free-agent contract with the Indiana Pacers back in 1979. After she was ultimately cut, she worked six games doing color commentary for the team, before playing professional ball in the Women’s Professional Basketball League.
Ready tweeted out her excitement for the historic event:
Excited to be working the same game as @AnnMeyers! An icon, legend, inspiration and someone who I've looked up 2☺️ pic.twitter.com/icDgZAOpXa
— Stephanie Ready (@StephanieReady) January 7, 2016
The combination makes for yet another great and overdue advancement for women in the world of sports, and is just one of many to come.
