Bethany Donaphin began her basketball journey on New York’s blacktops, eventually reaching the WNBA in 2003. Initially, she had to earn her place among male peers to be picked for a team or passed the ball. It was challenging to pursue her ambitions without representation or acceptance on the courts.
Now, as WNBA Head of League Operations, Donaphin is working to remove obstacles for young girls. The ‘Line ‘Em Up’ initiative introduces orange-painted WNBA three-point lines on park courts nationwide, launched at Brooklyn Bridge Park on Thursday.
“I’m excited about what this initiative means for access and representation,” Donaphin said. “We want to connect with young girls inspired by the WNBA.”
The event featured two local New York basketball organizations, WNBA Chief Marketing Officer Phil Cook, Donaphin, two hosts, and a DJ to engage fans. Three girls from each team debuted the orange arc with a game of knockout, followed by 1-on-1 matches where winners received prizes from New York Liberty guard Marquesha Davis before full 5-on-5 games.
Fans had a chance to win a shirt reading ‘The W is coming to the Park’ by shooting a half-court shot during halftime. The court remained lively afterward, with players banking shots off orange-accented black backboards featuring ‘WNBA’.
Alan Fleisher, head coach of New York Grit club, praised the initiative, noting, “Girls feel intimidated playing outdoors, and this initiative encourages more girls to play basketball in the park.”
A short film by WNBA highlighted women’s presence in parks, emphasizing their rightful place. Cook described it as a first step toward representation. “We wanted something repeatable, easy, authentic to women’s basketball. The orange WNBA three-point line was a simple solution.”
The league aims to spread the initiative, sharing blueprints with teams for implementation in various cities, ultimately painting orange lines on park courts and driveways nationwide. Currently, two parks in New York have adopted the orange, with four more on the way.
“My hope is that one day WNBA players will have started on these courts, inspired by the lines to dream big,” Donaphin said.
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