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July 7, 2025
Woodard believes the team profited off her name, image, and likeness without her authorized use.
The first woman to play for the Harlem Globetrotters feels she got played, and never paid, by the team after her name was used for merchandising.
Lynette Woodard made history in 1985 by becoming the first woman to join the exhibition basketball squad. She toured with the team for two years. However, her relationship with the Globetrotters soured after she made no money from their apparel collaboration that featured her. Woodard recently sued the team, claiming an unauthorized use of her name, image, and likeness (NIL).
According to the New York Post, the Globetrotters used the Olympian’s NIL without her permission for hoodies and sweats manufactured by a company called Undrcrwn from 2021 to 2024. The lawsuit claims the Globetrotters did not reach out to Woodard for consent. She argues it is because “they knew [she] would not give it for free.”
The streetwear brand collaborated with the Globetrotters to launch a clothing line that celebrated their history. It heavily included the time Woodard participated. Apparel not only featured Woodard but also highlighted her significance in the team’s legacy. Furthermore, Woodard claims the items are still available on the secondary market.
Woodard is not only a famous Globetrotter but also a household name in professional and collegiate basketball. The 65-year-old is a four-time All-American who played at Kansas. On a global level, she led the 1984 U.S. Olympic Women’s Basketball team to gold. Also a 2004 inductee into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, the 6-foot-6 guard has been inducted into multiple Halls of Fame for her contributions to the sport.
Woodard’s lawsuit claims that her contracts with the Globetrotters included a California choice of law provision. According to Sportico, this dictates that the state’s law regarding NIL is valid. As a member of the United Basketball Players Association, Woodard claimed that a Collective Bargaining Agreement ratified by both the players’ union and the Globetrotters granted her royalties on merchandise sales.
Her case also adds a new component to the growing case for NIL, expanding the conversations that typically revolved around collegiate athletes. Woodard seeks damages as well as profits from the clothing sales. She also wants an injunction to halt further unauthorized use of her image.
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