Founding league star to host free Play Like a Girl clinic during All-Star Week, inspiring the next generation of WNBA pioneers.
CHICAGO — As thousands of basketball fans prepare to descend on Chicago for one of the biggest celebrations in women’s sports, one of the Women’s National Basketball Association’s original players is returning to the city with a mission that reaches far beyond the basketball court.
Rushia Brown, a founding player of the WNBA, will host her signature Play Like a Girl Girls Basketball Skills Clinic on Thursday, July 23, during WNBA All-Star Week, bringing together 100 middle and high school girls for a free day of basketball instruction, leadership development, and mentorship, empowering them to become future WNBA pioneers.
The clinic will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Collins S.T.E.A.M. Academy, 1313 S. Sacramento Drive, on Chicago’s West Side. Advance registration is required.
Brown’s event arrives as Chicago serves as the center of the basketball world during WNBA All-Star Week, drawing fans, current stars, former players and youth from across the country for a series of games, community events and celebrations highlighting the continued growth of women’s basketball.
For Brown, however, the spotlight is focused on the next generation.
Girls participating in the clinic will receive instruction from former professional basketball players while rotating through skill-development stations designed to improve fundamentals on the court and confidence off of it. The program also includes team-building exercises and discussions centered on perseverance, leadership, communication and achieving success beyond basketball.
“The WNBA was built because people believed girls deserved the opportunity to dream big,” Brown said. “Play Like a Girl continues that mission by showing young women what’s possible—not only in basketball, but in life. We want every girl who walks into this clinic to leave believing she belongs, she can lead, and she can achieve anything she works for.”
As one of the WNBA’s founding players, Brown has devoted much of her post-playing career to expanding opportunities for young athletes through sports, education and mentorship. She also previously served on the Board of Directors for Legends of Basketball.
Her Play Like a Girl initiative has become one of her signature community programs, using sports as a vehicle to build confidence, encourage academic achievement and develop future leaders.
Chicago-area McDonald’s Women Owner/Operators will provide lunch for every participant, allowing the girls to spend the day focused on learning, competing and building meaningful relationships.
According to organizers, Brown’s nonprofit work through ServCom focuses on leadership development, education and mentorship, using athletics as a pathway to inspire young people to pursue excellence in the classroom, on the court and within their communities.
For the 100 girls expected to attend, the experience offers more than an opportunity to sharpen basketball skills. It provides direct access to former professional athletes whose own journeys demonstrate the possibilities that can grow from hard work, preparation and self-confidence.
As Chicago celebrates the WNBA’s brightest stars during All-Star Week, Brown hopes her clinic reminds participants that the future of the game—and the future of female leadership—begins with investing in young women today.
The Play Like a Girl Girls Basketball Skills Clinic is free to attend, but advance registration is required because participation is limited.