What she did at USC, two national championships, four consecutive All-American selections, and three Naismith Awards, was the kind of dominance that doesn't just win games but changes what people believe is possible. She played with a physicality and improvisational intelligence that made her nearly impossible to prepare for. In 1986, Sports Illustrated named her the best college basketball player in the country, men included. She was the best player in the building, any building she walked into.

A knee injury ended her playing career before she could turn pro. She never played a single game in the WNBA, but she still poured everything she knew to help build the league, becoming the first head coach and general manager of the Phoenix Mercury in 1997. From there she moved into broadcasting, spending years as one of the most recognizable voices in basketball at ABC, ESPN, and TNT, and is currently a studio analyst for the WNBA on NBC. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, and the FIBA Hall of Fame followed. The formal record speaks for itself, but the Sports Illustrated distinction says it most directly: she was the best player in the country, in any gym, in any game.