The Women’s Minor League Basketball Association, which is headquartered in Pearland, launched its inaugural season in June at the Pearland Recreation Center
& Natatorium.

The city of Pearland also saw the debut of its first women’s basketball team, the Houston Galaxy this season.

“Pearland is a phenomenal community, and it’s a no-brainer for us to continue to play there,” WMLBA President Kre’Tonia Morgan said.

The WMLBA currently has a roster of seven teams from Kansas, Georgia, South Carolina, Texas and Tennessee. Players have at least two years of collegiate basketball experience.

The WMLBA commissioner is Janell Burse, a retired WNBA player who has seven domestic seasons including a 2004 championship with the Seattle Storm under her belt.

“We are two individuals who are committed to taking our league to the next level,” Morgan said.

The WMLBA is in the works to become the developmental league of the WNBA, which would mean that their minor league basketball players could have a direct channel to be drafted into a career in professional basketbell.

To be selected as a developmental league, the WMLBA must be in or near the 12 cities with WNBA teams

In an effort to grow its players into stars, Morgan and Burse established The W Sports Network, a digital sports news outlet that also films each women’s basketball game.

“There’s definitely not enough visibility for women’s sports” Morgan said. “There’s still a lot to be done for equal visibility.”