COURTESY / TEMPLE ATHLETICS








Head coach Diane Richardson has lived by the phrase, “If you can see it, you can be it.” She’s so passionate about the saying that she’s dedicated her life to making it a reality for young girls aspiring to become athletes.  

Richardson left American Security Corporation, a company she founded, and entered the coaching world in 1995 to help young women receive scholarships to play basketball in college. She is still on this path more than two decades later, currently mentoring Temple Women’s Basketball.  

Unrivaled, a 3-on-3 women’s basketball league, came to Xfinity Mobile Arena on Jan. 30. Richardson adjusted the team’s schedule in the middle of a road trip so they could attend Philadelphia’s first women’s professional basketball game since 1998.  

The Owls were far from the only ones there. The event broke the attendance record for a regular-season professional women’s basketball game and any event at the arena with 21,490 fans.   

“[Women’s basketball] has really exploded,” Richardson said. “Back when I first got into coaching, it was to help young girls get exposure, so that they could get scholarships. And now with Unrivaled and with the WNBA and especially in Philadelphia, the Big 5. So, there is, like an outpouring of support for women’s basketball.” 

Unrivaled plays its games in Miami, but announced Philly as its first tour stop on Oct. 2, 2025. The games gave Philadelphia a glimpse into what might happen once the city gets its WNBA expansion team in 2030. 

There was a lot of work behind the scenes before the announcement was made. Philadelphia Sisters, a chapter of the organization Sisters Sports Group and a group of local women’s basketball fans, contacted Richardson because of her influential presence in the women’s basketball community in the area. 

Richardson immediately agreed to help in any way. She informed others about Unrivaled, other women’s basketball events and had the team’s Instagram post about it to show how Philadelphia will embrace the WNBA team once 2030 comes around.  

“We’ve got to catch that lightning in a bottle and do it now, because five years from now is going to be too late, especially from a monetary standpoint,” Richardson said. 

Watch Party PHL, an organization that facilitates events for women’s sports in Philadelphia, hosted the watch parties the Owls attended. 

The first watch party the entire team and staff attended was during the WNBA playoffs for a first-round matchup between the New York Liberty and the Phoenix Mercury in September. The teams’ rosters include Philadelphia natives Natasha Cloud and Kahleah Copper, respectively. Both players got to play in their hometown with Unrivaled last month.  

“I’ve never really been around in a scenery where it’s all women and they’re all supporting women’s basketball,” said guard Drew Alexander. “Everyone was wearing a jersey supporting somebody. So, it was really good to see that even it was a small area, just to see how much people support women’s basketball.” 

Richardson made connections throughout her years as a coach, including Copper. The WNBA player reached out last year, looking for a space to work out. Richardson jumped at the opportunity to have her at Temple practices, knowing it benefited both Copper and her athletes. 

Copper went to most practices during the 2023-24 season, giving players advice on how to compete with a pro. The young athletes practiced against the 2021 WNBA Champion and Finals MVP in Copper, something Alexander appreciated as she dreams of being a professional athlete once she graduates.  

“I think it’s really important that you have someone who knows what they’re doing, like an upperclassman, or a vet, that can really help you and just be there for you, because they’ve done what you’re trying to do,” Alexander said.  

Women’s basketball has seen a jump in support in recent years, as the rise of young athletes like Angel Reese, Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark drew people’s interest.  

Temple saw the unwavering support for their sport at the watch parties and at the sold-out Xfinity Mobile Arena. The team understands how important it is to role models who look like them. They want the sport to continue growing, so there is a larger community for the younger generation to join.  

“That alone you can compare it to men’s basketball, we work just as hard to do all the things and that stuff,” said guard Kaylah Turner. “Come to a game and come see us. And come to Unrivaled games, WNBA games. I mean, we even have players dunking now. We have like, 6’7” eighth graders now. Just come watch us play. [The narrative of women’s sports is] definitely going in the right direction now, but just come watch us play.” 

Colin Schofield contributed reporting.