SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (Aug. 20, 2008) – Val Ackerman, current President of USA Basketball & former and founding President of WNBA, will receive the 2008 John W. Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame during Enshrinement festivities September 4-6 in Springfield, Massachusetts.

The Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award was instituted by the Board of Trustees of the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1973 and is the most prestigious award presented by the Hall of Fame outside of Enshrinement. Named in honor of Hall of Famer John W. Bunn (Class of 1964), the first chairman of the Basketball Hall of Fame Committee who served from 1949-1964, this award honors coaches, players and contributors whose outstanding accomplishments have impacted the high school, college, professional or international game.

“Val’s contributions to the growth and development of the game of basketball on all levels embodies the true spirit of this lifetime achievement award. Her service and visionary work span her career, from early roles within the NBA legal department to her groundbreaking work in launching the WNBA to her appointment as the first female President of USA Basketball”, stated John L. Doleva, Hall of Fame President & CEO. “Val is held with the highest regard among her peers as an attorney, sports executive and former player. Her forward thinking approach gives confidence to the basketball community that the game’s potential will continue to grow and evolve.”

“This is a tremendous and very unexpected honor, and I'm deeply grateful to the Hall of Fame for the recognition”, said Ackerman upon receiving the news. “It has been a privilege for me to work in basketball and to witness many of the exciting developments in our game over the past 20 years, especially in women's basketball, which I know will only continue to grow in popularity in the years to come.”

Ackerman’s relationship with the game was at an early stage when she graduated from Hopewell Valley Central High School in Mercer County, New Jersey in 1977. Ackerman went on to play at the University of Virginia, where she was a four-year starter for the women's basketball team and a two-time Academic All-American as she earned a degree in political and social thought in 1981. After college, Ackerman extended her basketball playing resume at the professional level for one season in France. She also earned a law degree from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1985, and worked for two years as an associate at the New York law firm of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett.

In 1988, she served as a staff attorney for the National Basketball Association and as special assistant to NBA Commissioner David Stern. From 1995-1996, she was the driving force behind the historic USA Basketball Women's Senior National Team program that culminated with a 60-0 record and the gold medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Her NBA positions of Director, and later Vice President of Business Affairs led to her appointment to head the WNBA on August 7, 1996.

As President of the WNBA, Ackerman was the first woman to successfully launch a women's team-oriented sports league and guided the league for its first eight seasons. The WNBA has seen significant growth since its inception, as it ranks today as the leading women’s professional basketball league in the world with 14 teams, players from around the world, extensive television coverage, sponsor and marketing partnerships growth and a loyal fan base.

In May 2005 she became the first female president of USA Basketball for the 2005-2008 term, leading the organization through its preparations for the 2008 Beijing Olympics and a recently-announced restructuring of the USA Basketball Board of Directors. She also serves as the US representative to the Central Board of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA). She currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the National Board of Directors of Girls Incorporated, and the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics.

Ms. Ackerman will be honored during the Hall of Fame’s annual Reunion Reception, occurring at the Springfield Marriott Hotel on Thursday, September 4th. The event, which also features award recipients of the Curt Gowdy Award, given to exemplary members of the media, tips off the 2008 Hall of Fame Enshrinement Weekend. Tickets are still available for the 2008 Enshrinement Induction Celebration, taking place on Saturday, September 6th at Mohegan Sun Resort. Call 413.231.5512 to purchase. Tickets to the 2008 Enshrinement Gala are SOLD OUT. Additional Enshrinement Weekend information can also be found at www.hoophall.com.

Previous Award Recipients:
1973 John Bunn	1991 Morgan B. Wootten
1974 John Wooden	1992 Will Robinson
1975 J. Walter Kennedy	1993 Joe Vancisin
1976 Henry P. Iba	1994 William Wall
1977 Clifford B. Fagan	1995 Peter Carlesimo
1978 Curt Gowdy	1996 Vic Bubas
1979 Eddie Gottlieb	1997 C.M. Newton
1980 Arnold “Red” Auerbach	1998 Tex Winter
1981 Ray Meyer	1999 The Harlem Globetrotters
1982 Daniel Biasone	2000 Meadowlark Lemon
1983 Robert J. Cousy	2001 Tom Jernstedt
1984 Lawrence F. O’Brien	2002 Harvey Pollack
1985 Lee Williams	2003 Joe O’Brien
1986 Grady W. Lewis	2004 Zelda Spoelstra
1987 David R. Gavitt	2005 Marty Blake
1988 Haskell Hillyard	2006 Betty Jaynes
1989 George E. Killian	2007 Thomas “Satch” Sanders
1990 Pat Head Summitt	2008 Val Ackerman

Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the birthplace of basketball, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame promotes and preserves the game of basketball at every level. For more information, please visit our website at www.hoophall.com or call 1-877-4-HOOPLA.