(gentle music)

- [Narrator] The WNBA, since 1997

the premier women's basketball league

has grown in popularityand gives talented women

an opportunity to playbasketball for a living.

However, few people(gentle music)

know the true story behindthe WNBA's creation,

and the man now namedLightning to whom much

of the credit belongs.

Ned Mitchell was born inrural Louisiana in 1948,

where his leadership skills were evident,

even at a young age.

- I remember as a child,when I was 9, 10 years old,

I used to organize littleleagues like football games

and basketball games forkids in our neighborhood.

So at that time, I felt nowthat God was preparing me

to organize such a league.

- A three-sport athlete in high school,

Ned dreamed of playing in the NFL.

And while the NFL draft remained a dream,

being drafted into the army(melancholy music)

became his reality, and he was immediately

shipped to Vietnam.

Were you afraid?

- Very much.

Yeah, I was very scaredbecause they were saying

the Americans was being shot.

Some of the planes were being shot

as they come in to try to land.

So yeah, I was scared.

- [Narrator] After servingtwo years, Ned returned home

and went to William Jewell(gentle music)

College in Kansas City to play football.

It was there, he earnedthe nickname Lightning,

for his electric andshifty moves on the field.

While there, he attended a church service

that changed his heart.

- And I remember that nightwhen the pastor called.

I remember, I got up and I asked the Lord

to forgive me of my sin, and I said,

"I receive you as my Lord and Savior,"

and I asked Him to helpme to live the life

that he wanted me to live.

- [Narrator] Lightning wenton to play semi-pro football

in Wisconsin and Illinois,while working full-time

in a factory, hoping and prayingto get a shot at the NFL.

- And I wanted to playprofessional, right at that moment,

right now, and I cried out to God,

and I asked God to help meget into professional sports.

And that night God told me,

"Create a women's professionalbasketball league."

- How did you respond to that?

- Well, I played around withit, you know, more or less,

because when this happened,

I didn't think I really heard Him.

- [Narrator] He stillneeded more confirmation.

- I said, "Lord, if you want me to create

"this women's professionalbasketball league,"

I said, "can you dosomething to give me a sign?"

And I remember that night,I saw a shooting star,

it almost like it was coming down

in front of the windshieldas I was drivin',

and I took that for amoment as a sign from God.

- [Narrator] In fact, hesaw four shooting stars.

- Like, whoom, whoom,whoom, just like that.

And I remember the chills that came

upon my body, and Istarted, I started crying.

And from that point I took it serious.

- [Narrator] Lightning sentover 100 letters to Division I

basketball schools announcing a tryout

for the Women's Basketball Association.

The media, however, was skeptical.

Women's professionalbasketball leagues had started

and failed on severaloccasions in the 70s and 80s,

but Lightning knew otherwise.

- It was about a minute to 10,

those glass doors opened

(inspirational music)and women came through out

of nowhere with duffle bags.

We had over 200 playersthere, and those are the type

of things that God's donethroughout this whole event.

- [Narrator] In 1992, the WBAtipped off for the first time.

Even though there wasn'tmuch money to go around,

still the women of the league believed

in Lightning's vision.

- These were NCAA Division Iplayers coming out of college

with degrees to go and teach,run business, a company.

You know, they put thataside to do what I was trying

to attempt to do, wouldgive women the opportunity

to play professional basketballhere in the United States.

- [Narrator] After fouryears of hard work,

Lightning had shown that hisleague was not only viable,

but could be successful.

In 1995, the NBA took notice

and asked Lightning for insight.

Instead of partnering together,

the WNBA was formed and tippedoff the next year, in 1996.

Lightning's WBA couldn't compete

and had to cease operations.

He was frustrated and disappointed,

but through prayer, realized that God

had made him a pioneer.

- I'm glad that women are able

to play professional basketballhere in the United States,

and I think that was my assignment.

I think I had accomplished whatGod wanted me to accomplish.

- [Narrator] And his legacy lives on.

On February 1st, 2021,the WBA was enshrined

in the Kansas City Museum'sBlack Archives of Mid-America.

Today, Lightning is retired,

and travels the country telling the story

of the WBA and the Godwho made it all happen.

- I want people tounderstand that this league

that they watch today, the WNBA,

only came about becauseof the grace of God.

This wasn't man, this was God.

I'm so thankful to the Lord

that he allowed me to be apart of this whole thing.

My dream was to playprofessional football,

but God gave me somethinggreater than my dream.