A League of Their Own

Photo Courtesy Shampale Williams @shampalefenessa

It’s been ten years since Jahi “Jah” Rawlings founded the Atlanta Entertainment Basketball League (AEBL). Since then, the AEBL has been home to the best basketball talent in Atlanta every summer.

A couple of years ago, there wasn’t a women’s league in the AEBL.

Last year, AEBL launched AEBLW, a women’s basketball league that defies stereotypes and provides girls access to sports.

Pushing the game forward had to include women. AEBLW has proven that Atlanta is a basketball city for women too.

AEBLW provides a platform for young girls to see that there’s room for them in the sports world.

The platform has some of the best hoopers in the city, including WNBA players, former WNBA players, and international professionals.

AEBLW Co-Commissioner and Head of Operations for AEBL Portia Benbow is optimistic about the league’s future and how it will continue to evolve. She believes in the community creating platforms for representation, especially for youth.

Many of the players in the AEBLW league are connected to the youth as AAU or high school coaches providing a visible career pathway for girls.

Says Benbow, “AEBLW is important because we want girls to see where they can go in the future; representation matters. This platform allows people to see our elite talent in Atlanta.”

AEBLW is in a league of its own as they create a blueprint to transform the women’s game, and Benbow is the perfect woman for that role.

“We don’t get enough exposure. In every successful sports organization, there are always women behind it, making it go, which is another area for that to be displayed,” said Benbow.

The 2022 season is the second season of AEBLW, which has created a foundational shift in women’s basketball.

One reason for that shift is Christina “Ms. Basketball” Granville, who also serves as the Co-Commissioner for the AEBLW. She’s known for using her platform to help the next generation of women find their voices, specifically in sports.

Says Granville, “I always played basketball with the guys. I wanted to have a safe space for women to come and play. To see it come to fruition inspires me to keep going.”

There’s no doubt that the women’s game doesn’t get enough exposure, but the AEBLW is revolutionizing sports for women.

“The more we do it, the more young girls will be able to see that they have a place to come and be celebrated, not tolerated,” said Granville.

Girls in Atlanta can look forward to watching some of the best women’s basketball players from Atlanta and around the world for the next few weeks. Games are played at the KIPP Atlanta Collegiate gymnasium on Saturdays and Sundays with free admission.