Credited Screenwriter & Published Author
Why She Plays: The World of Women's Basketball
Journey to the heart of the game.
Ever wondered what drives someone to fall head over heels in love with basketball? In Why She Plays, we hit the courts with the incredible women who live and breathe this game - from high school gyms to the bright lights of the pros. With a special foreword by basketball legend Becky Hammon, this book gets real with the players who are changing the face of basketball, one buzzer-beater at a time. These aren't just their stories - they're love letters to a game that's become so much more than putting a ball through a hoop.
About the Book
Ever shoot hoops in your driveway until the stars came out? These women never stopped. Why She Plays takes you into the lives of basketball players who eat, sleep, and breathe the game - from the nerve-wracking high school championships to the electric atmosphere of packed pro arenas.
But this isn't just about what happens on the court. It's about the mom who drives three hours for her daughter's travel team. The college player balancing practice with physics finals. The pro who's proving her doubters wrong, one crossover at a time. These women aren't just playing basketball - they're changing what's possible for every girl who's ever been told "you can't."
Through late-night practices, crushing defeats, and sweet victories, these players share what keeps them coming back to the game they love. Whether you're a die-hard basketball fan or just love a good story about breaking barriers and chasing dreams, you'll find yourself cheering for every player in these pages.
Where to Buy
Christine Baker combines two rare traits: a true passion for the game of basketball, tattooed into her soul at an early age; and the ability to describe that passion with the gritty feel of the ball on a sweaty palm and the confident assurance of a born writer.
Clay Kallam
Women's Basketball Magazine
Good Morning America anchor and fellow women's basketball fan Robin Roberts holding her autographed copy.
Olympic Gold Medalist and WNBA All-Star Tamika Catchings checking out Why She Plays
Keri Mikulski, PrettyTough.com
Why She Plays is a modern women’s basketball bible with an exclusive pass into the world of the elite female athlete. Baker covers more floor in the basketball world than Candace Parker covers on game day. If you’re a fan of women’s athletics, a current or former basketball player, or a parent of a child navigating the world of youth sports, pick up Why She Plays.
Kendra Hunter, Journal of Sport History
I recommend this book for those interested in reading about women’s basketball from the perspective of someone whose passion stems from her own experiences as a player, a coach, and a journalist. Her writing also serves as a reminder of the immense potential for growth in this sport, and the responsibility we have as players, coaches, and fans to move forward with delicate balance.
Stephanie Bennett, Ph.D.
Women in Sport & Physical Activity Journal
From Title IX, to the birth of the WNBA, to Sports Marketing, to comparisons of USA Basketball versus basketball in other countries, Christine Baker does a great job of combining her love for the game of basketball and her journalistic abilities to provide the reader with a well-rounded visual rendering of women's basketball.