Recalling the 1996 Olympic women’s basketball team visit to Martin

The Undefeated

"Following the 1996 Olympic team’s undefeated gold-medal run at the Atlanta Games, interest in women’s basketball had reached a peak unforeseen outside of the collegiate game," says Sean Hurd. "Winning gold in front of a captivated home crowd had launched the sport into the forefront of the sports landscape, which led to the cultivation of that interest through magazine covers, talk show appearances and … a cameo on the hit sitcom Martin. Though by 1996 the show was no longer averaging 11 million viewers as it had in its first season, as a whole it still held a prominent stake in the culture – much like it does today. The team’s appearance on Martin in November 1996 served as one of the first cultural crossovers in professional women’s basketball. The timing of the episode, airing just months before the start of the WNBA’s inaugural season, served as an introduction for viewers new to the sport to follow the careers of players who appeared on the show (Sheryl Swoopes, Rebecca Lobo, Teresa Edwards and Staley) and their Olympic teammates – most of whom had disappeared from the public eye after starting their overseas careers."