Women’s sports are having a moment, and Billie Jean King is watching proudly from the sidelines. A lifelong advocate for gender equality in athletics, the tennis legend has spent decades pushing for change. So when another pioneer gets her flowers, King makes sure the applause is heard. And this time, she’s giving it up for a basketball icon.

Billie Jean King knows a thing or two about changing the game herself. Back in 1973, she spearheaded the formation of the Women’s Tennis Association. That same year, she made headlines again by lobbying the US Open to offer equal prize money to men and women, the first Grand Slam to do so. Since then, all four Slams have followed suit. It didn’t happen overnight. It took work. But King got it done, and the ripple effects still shape the sport today.

And this time, she’s giving it up for a basketball icon. On July 30, King took to X to honor Lisa Leslie, the first WNBA player ever to dunk in a game. “23 years ago today, @LisaLeslie made history as the first player to dunk in the @wnba. In doing so, she paved the way for so many others to follow,” she wrote.

That historic dunk came back in 2002, in a matchup between the Los Angeles Sparks and the now-defunct Miami Sol. The final score? A forgettable 82-73 loss for the Sparks. But no one remembers that. What they remember is Leslie racing down the court, receiving the ball all alone, and launching herself toward the rim. One-handed, she palmed the ball, soared, and slammed it through the hoop.

It was the kind of moment that stops time. The Staples Center erupted. The game faded into the background. And in that split-second flight, Leslie changed the course of the women’s game.

Billie Jean King applauds WNBA Stars like Caitlin Clark and others

Billie Jean King played the famous “Battle of the Sexes” match against Bobby Riggs. Her win wasn’t just a win for tennis. It was a win for women everywhere, a cultural shift in motion.

And now, decades later, she’s keeping an eye on basketball. As women’s hoops picks up steam, King is cheering on the next wave of stars. “Caitlin Clark, I mean, come on. We all saw Caitlin,” she said, her voice full of excitement.

Transitioning from college phenom to pro spotlight, Clark isn’t alone. Angel Reese and JuJu Watkins are joining her at center stage. And King’s watching them all with the same pride. She’s also keeping tabs on those leading from the sidelines. King gave a special shoutout to South Carolina’s head coach, Dawn Staley, applauding her record-breaking new contract. “She’s got a new contract making the most money, which I love because that means everybody else has a chance to make more,” she said.

She’s also met Angel Reese and wasn’t shy about her admiration. “These athletes are not just players; they are role models for future generations,” King said. She’s big on representation. She’s big on making sure young women know they can take up space.

“I always ask a person, ‘What do you want? Not what the world wants, not what your parents want. What do you want?’” she shared. It’s not just about legacy. For King, it’s about doing the work and leaving something real behind.

Even at 81, she hasn’t slowed down. Through her partnership with Dove’s Body Confident Sport program, she’s tackling body image issues that prevent girls from playing sports. The mission is simple: keep girls in the game. So when King salutes Lisa Leslie, it’s not just a tweet. It’s a full-circle moment. One trailblazer recognizing another.