s ▁Professional ▁Basketball ▁League ▁( ab bre vi ated ▁W BL ) ▁was ▁a ▁professional ▁women ' s ▁basketball ▁league ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁The ▁league ▁played ▁three ▁seasons ▁from ▁the ▁fall ▁of ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁to ▁the ▁spring ▁of ▁ 1 9 8 1 . ▁The ▁league ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁professional ▁women ' s ▁basketball ▁league ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁ ▁Form ation ▁and ▁ 1 9 7 8 – 7 9 ▁season ▁The ▁league ▁began ▁with ▁a ▁player ▁draft ▁held ▁in ▁Manh attan ' s ▁Es sex ▁House ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁with ▁eight ▁teams ▁particip ating . ▁While ▁few ▁of ▁the ▁teams ▁had ▁firm ▁commit ments ▁on ▁playing ▁locations ▁( or ▁team ▁names , ▁for ▁that ▁matter ), ▁the ▁league ▁planned ▁to ▁play ▁a ▁ 3 4 - game ▁season ▁with ▁teams ▁in ▁Chicago , ▁Houston , ▁Iowa , ▁Mil w au kee , ▁Min ne apolis , ▁New ▁Jersey , ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁and ▁Washington , ▁D . C . ▁Houston ▁draft ed ▁Ann ▁Mey ers ▁from ▁U CLA , ▁while ▁New ▁Jersey ' s ▁top ▁choice ▁Carol ▁Bla zej owski ▁of ▁Mont cla ir ▁State ▁University ▁said ▁that ▁she ▁wanted ▁to ▁retain ▁her ▁amateur ▁standing ▁to ▁be ▁el ig ible ▁to ▁play ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 ▁Summer ▁Olympics . ▁L us ia ▁Harris , ▁a ▁colleg iate ▁star ▁at ▁D elta ▁State ▁University , ▁was ▁selected ▁by ▁the ▁Houston ▁team , ▁but ▁was ▁rel uct ant ▁to