Every year, the intersection of Clinch Avenue and South Gay Street in downtown Knoxville becomes a focal point for the women’s basketball fan as it is where the Tennessee Theatre is located – and a new class becomes inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.
This year’s noteworthy names that were forever immortalized in history at the downtown Knoxville cathedral included Sue Bird, Sylvia Fowles, Cappie Pondexter, Lucille Kyvalos, Alana Beard, Mark Campbell and Danielle Donehew.
Bird, being one of the headliners, was the final speaker of the septet that made remarks. Given how she was so prolific as a passer throughout her illustrious career that spanned UConn and the Seattle Storm, “assist” was the theme of her speech.
Greatness is never a solo performance.
–Sue Bird, Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2025
Prior to her career in the WNBA, Long Island’s very own won two NCAA championships under Geno Auriemma with the Huskies. Her career also included the four championships she won with the Storm in 2004, 2010, 2018 and 2020. Bird was a 13-time WNBA All-Star and was on the W’s 10th Anniversary, 15thAnniversary, 20th Anniversary and 25th Anniversary players lists.
Bird also wore the USA Basketball uniform on several occasions to the tune of four Olympic gold medals from 2004 to 2020 plus four FIBA World Cup gold medals.
As assists were the theme of Bird’s speech, she mentioned how some of the best dimes she received both on and off the court came from coaches and teammates.
The assists that truly changed my game came from coaches.
–Sue Bird, Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2025
You assisted me in ways that the box score could never capture.
–Sue Bird, Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2025 (on teammates)
Towards the close of her speech, Bird had words for her life (and podcast) partner Megan Rapinoe. The pair has been engaged for five years. She particularly praised her fiancée on how she – similarly to how Bird herself does – uses her voice for something bigger than herself.
I love doing life…and podcasts…with you.
–Sue Bird, Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2025 (on Rapinoe)
Later in her career, many of Bird’s assists were received by either Breanna Stewart or Jewell Loyd. The Storm’s big three of Bird, Stewart and Loyd won championships with Seattle in 2018 and 2020. She mentioned how gratifying it has been to see Stewie (now with the New York Liberty) and Loyd (now with the Las Vegas Aces) blossom into the superstars they have evolved into.
Fittingly enough, Bird closed out her speech with one more mention of assists given it was how she began her remarks at the Tennessee Theatre.
The assist was always my favorite play in basketball and it remains my favorite play in life.
–Sue Bird, Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2025
Fowles was another one of the headliners of Saturday’s festivities in downtown Knoxville. Her Hall of Fame resume included being named 2008’s SEC Player of the Year. She also led LSU to the Final Four that season.
In 2017, her No. 34 jersey that she proudly wore in Baton Rouge was retired and raised to the rafters of the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
Also on that Hall of Fame resume included a pair of WNBA championships with the Minnesota Lynx in the latter half of its dynasty in the 2010s. In 2017, Fowles not only won her second of two championships, she also claimed Finals MVP honors that season when the Lynx prevailed over the Los Angeles Sparks. That same year, she also was the MVP for the regular season.
Fowles also earned WNBA All-Star recognition on eight occasions plus three All-WNBA First Team selections.
Throughout her playing days, she especially received recognition for her defense work as evidenced by the eight times she made the W’s All-Defensive Team. On four occasions, she was the WNBA’s Defensive Player of the Year – in 2011, 2013, 2016 and 2021.
Fowles was on the W’s 25th Anniversary Team in 2021. She also won four Olympic gold medals and claimed a FIBA gold medal in 2010.
Among those she thanked were teammates, coaches, general managers and people she worked with over the years on endorsements. She particularly gave praise to coaches who noticed that her value to the teams she has played on over the years went past the numbers on a stat sheet.
Thank you for seeing me as a leader, not just a scorer.
–Sylvia Fowles, Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2025 (on coaches)
Among her closing remarks, Fowles used three words to describe herself – all with the same first letter as her last name.
Flawed, fierce and free.
–Sylvia Fowles, Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2025
She also acknowledged the upcoming generation of basketball players by encouraging them to relentlessly pursue their dreams and use their voices.
Lucille Kyvallos delivered the next-to-last speech of the day.
I am so thrilled to be inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame…with this class of 2025.
–Lucille Kyvallos, Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2025
Kyvallos is a legendary women’s hoops luminary – especially in the New York City area. It was at Pennsylvania’s West Chester State College in the 1960s where Kyvallos first cut her cloth and she led West Chester state to a robust record of 52-2.
She then made even more history throughout the late 1960s into the 1970s and early 1980s at Queens College. In 1973, over 3,000 fans attended an AIAW national championship game between Immaculata and Queens College. The AIAW was the precursor to the NCAA which first held a national tournament and championship game for women’s basketball in 1982.
Kyvallos also coached in the first women’s collegiate game at Madison Square Garden which drew a crowd of over 12,000. She mentioned how the AIAW national championship led her getting the MSG invite – and that she even got to choose the opponent. Obviously, that adversary would be Immaculata, which won that 1975 get-together at the Mecca.
The court at Fitzgerald Gymnasium at Queens College was named in her honor and Team USA won a silver medal at the World University Games under Kyvallos’ stewardship.
She mentioned how she would play three-on-three basketball with boys during a time where it was considered socially unacceptable for girls to pursue athletic interests.
Kyvallos also mentioned the current state of women’s basketball by describing her emotions as “euphoric” regarding the current boom period the game is in.
Even though Pondexter was one of the seven as part of this year’s 2025 Hall of Fame class, she was unavailable and her mother, Vanessa, gave remarks on Cappie’s behalf.
Vanessa mentioned that Cappie’s coach at Rutgers, the venerable C. Vivian Stringer, challenged Cappie to be the best version of herself that she can be. She also mentioned how influential Jolette Law, formerly an assistant at Tennessee and current assistant under Dawn Staley at South Carolina, has been in her career.
Also among those who received recognition during Vanessa’s speech was Essence Carson.
In 2003, Cappie led Rutgers to a record of 97-22 plus back-to-back Big East championships. The Scarlet Knights participated in the Elite Eight in 2005. Pondexter was 2003’s Big East Rookie of the Year and 2006’s Big East Player of the Year.
She was a second-overall selection in the 2006 WNBA Draft and won a pair of championships in 2007 and 2009.
Pondexter was named on seven occasions to WNBA All-Star teams and she also earned three All-WNBA selections (2009, 2010 and 2012). She was also a selection on the WNBA’s 15th, 20th and 25th anniversary teams. Pondexter also was part of the 2008 USA Basketball team in Beijing that left China with a gold medal.
Towards the close of her remarks, Vanessa had some wise words for those in attendance.
Always prioritize God in everything you do.
–Vanessa Pondexter
Be kind to your mind.
–Vanessa Pondexter
Speaking of faith, the speech that was given by Union University coach Mark Campbell was all about his Christian faith. Campbell quoted Bible verses, giving his remarks a Sunday service sermon-esque feel.
No success satisfies like Jesus does.
–Mark Campbell, Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2025
Among those he mentioned in his remarks was legendary Lipscomb coach Don Meyer. Campbell used the word “transformation” to describe the bond he had with Meyer.
Campbell has been Union’s head coach since 1999 and has compiled a remarkable record of 775-120. He is a four-time NAIA national champion coach – in 2005, 2006, 2009 and 2010. Those were also the same years where Campbell was recognized as NAIA National Coach of the Year.
Union was ranked No. 1 in 48 consecutive NAIA polls and was the fastest coach in the history of the collegiate game to reach 600 and 700 victories.
Campbell was also named Gulf South Conference Coach of the Year on six occasions – and was named the Gulf South’s Coach of the Decade in 2020. In 2023, Campbell took on the role of athletic director at Union.
As Campbell made clear throughout his words, he is grateful and humble about the success he has achieved as a coach, but is even more thankful about being a man of faith and family.
Driving into our driveway every night is still the best part of my day.
–Mark Campbell, Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2025
If there were two things that changed his life, Campbell says, they were winning a national championship and witnessing the “miracle of watching God change your heart.”
National championships are not built without team chemistry and camaraderie. Campbell talked about how gratifying it has been to see the young women on his teams come together to form cohesive units.
The journey has been a blessing to build families on our teams.
–Mark Campbell, Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2025
Campbell described it as an “honor of a lifetime,” and reiterated the importance of his faith in his life – as a man, husband and coach.
(Jesus) gives me a purpose that’s bigger than any title or win.
–Mark Campbell, Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2025
Jazzy walkup music played prior to every inductee giving a speech. Alana Beard says she chose “Good People” as her walk-up song because she mentioned how she has been blessed to have good people in her life.
It was at Duke where Beard established a noteworthy profile in the collegiate ranks. She was a three-time All-American with the Blue Devils and earned two ACC Female Athlete of the Year awards. The Washington Mystics drafted Beard with the second pick in the 2004 WNBA Draft.
Beard also qualified for four All-Star Games throughout the 2000s. A major highlight of her career was when she earned the right to call herself a WNBA champion as she was part of the Los Angeles Sparks’ 2016 version that claimed that season’s championship following a thrilling Finals with the Lynx.
Beard also won back-to-back WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Awards in 2017 and 2018.
When it became clearer and clearer that her playing days were coming to a close, Beard mentioned that this was a sobering reality for her. She mentioned on numerous occasions people asking her why she never crossed over into coaching.
Instead, she went into the business, which included a foray into venture capital. Beard was also part of an effort to bring the WNBA to Oakland prior to the Bay Area being granted the expansion Golden State Valkyries franchise.
Among those she thanked was Penny Toler, who was the general manager of the Sparks at the time of her free agency. The Sparks were one of three teams that she says made trips to Washington.
Penny made the biggest bet on me … not just as a player, but as a person.
–Alana Beard, Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2025
One of Beard’s signature initiatives following her playing days has been the establishment of the 318 Foundation, named after the 318 area code of her birthplace of Shreveport, Louisiana. It works with AAU teams in both Louisiana and Maryland.
Keep showing up, stay curious and, above all, be good people.
–Alana Beard, Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2025
The day’s festivities began with Danielle Donehew following introductory remarks from Debbie Antonelli (her 20th year leading the Hall of Fame ceremonies) and a musical number from Evelyn Jack.
Donehew has been the Executive Director of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association since 2014 and made a foray into for-profit business with the launch of its LLC. She was received the WBCA’s Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame’s Trailblazer Award for contributions to the game.
She was behind the Naismith Starting 5 in tandem with the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and WBCA to acknowledge the nation’s top players. Donehew’s career has included the Atlanta Dream, Georgia Tech, the Big East and the AAC. She is one of Georgia Tech’s 70 Most Influential Women Graduates.
At Georgia Tech, she herself was under the tutelage of Agnus Berenato who was with the Yellow Jackets from 1987-2003. Berenato was originally an assistant at Georgia Tech before establishing a career there as head coach.
Thank you, Coach B, for believing in me.
–Danielle Donehew, Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2025
The coach is the primary steward of our game.
–Danielle Donehew, Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2025
Donehew mentioned the game’s ability to bring people from different cultures and backgrounds together by comparing it to a “universal language” and says that, throughout her life, she has either been on a “dream team” or in a “dream job.”
In 2015, a women’s basketball scholarship at Georgia Tech was named after her and she is on the boards of several organizations – including both basketball Halls of Fame, the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, the Pat Summitt Foundation and the Pat Summitt Leadership Group.
Donehew mentioned Summitt in her comments and she felt Donehew would be better suited for working on the business side of the game instead of coaching. The ceremony took place on what would have been Summitt’s 73rd birthday.
