On Monday, April 7, the infamous Hollywood Walk of Fame welcomed not just its 2,807th star, but a powerful symbol of progress, purpose, and influence. At 81 years old, Billie Jean King, a Southern California native and one of the most groundbreaking athletes and activists in history, made history once again. She became the first woman ever to receive a star in the Walk of Fame’s newly established Sports Entertainment category, introduced in 2023 to celebrate the lasting impact of athletes on the entertainment world.

And if you ask us, there’s no better person to kick off this legacy than hometown hero and tennis icon, Billie Jean King.

The Long Beach native stood tall at the intersection of Hollywood and Vine, her new star glinting across from the historic Pantages Theater, under an electronic marquee that read, “A star for a star. Congratulations Billie Jean King.” And what a star she is—not only in the world of tennis but in the ongoing fight for equity, inclusion, and justice.

A SoCal Story Through and Through

Before she was a global idol, a tennis champion, and a fierce advocate for equality, Billie Jean King was just a kid growing up in Long Beach, California: a determined young athlete with big dreams and a borrowed racquet.

Just 34 miles from the glamour of Hollywood, Billie Jean’s story began in the heart of Southern California. She was a multi-sport athlete from the start, first falling in love with basketball and then making her mark on the softball diamond. At just 10 years old, she played shortstop on a 14U team that captured a city championship. Her competitive spirit was clear, but it was a simple question in fifth grade that would change everything.

“What sport can I play to go far in life?” she asked her father.
His answer? Tennis.

Shortly after that conversation, Billie Jean’s friend Susan Williams invited her to a country club. It was there, at age 11, that she picked up a racquet for the very first time, and something just clicked. Billie Jean fell in love with the way the sport allowed her to run, jump, and hit with power and precision. From that very first swing, she knew she had found her purpose in life.

She started training on Long Beach’s public courts, using a racquet she bought herself with money earned from odd jobs. Her work ethic and passion were relentless, and her goals were crystal clear.

“I am going to be No. 1 in the world,” she told her mother.

But Billie Jean quickly learned that the world didn’t treat all athletes equally. As a girl, she noticed that tennis was filled with rules and expectations that didn’t apply to boys. Instead of backing down, she leaned in, and began her lifelong fight for fairness.

That fire, sparked on the courts of Southern California, propelled her to become one of the most decorated athletes in sports history and a leading voice for gender equity, LGBTQ+ rights, and social justice.

From those humble beginnings in Long Beach to the glimmering streets of Hollywood, Billie Jean’s journey is a testament to the power of purpose, persistence, and pride.

A Life of Breaking Barriers 

To call Billie Jean King a tennis legend barely scratches the surface. With 39 Grand Slam titles to her name—including 12 in singles—she’s one of the most decorated players in the history of the sport. But her legacy goes far beyond the court.

In 1972, Billie Jean was the first woman to be honored as Sportsperson of the Year by Sports Illustrated.

King has spent her life championing gender equity, not just in tennis, but in every arena where equality matters. In 1973, she spearheaded the formation of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), giving female players a unified voice and platform. That same year, she stepped onto the court in the most-watched tennis match in history: the “Battle of the Sexes” against Pasadena’s Bobby Riggs. And when she won in front of around 50 million people, she didn’t just win a match—she made a statement to the world: women belong.

King was a trailblazer in the fight for equal pay at major tennis tournaments, securing the U.S. Open title four times. After claiming the singles championship at Flushing Meadows in 1972, she leveraged her platform to drive change. Despite her victory, King received $15,000 less than the men’s champion that year. Determined to level the playing field, she threatened to boycott the tournament the following year unless the men’s and women’s singles champions received equal prize money. King led the charge for equal prize money in tennis, forever changing the game for generations of female athletes. The 1973 US Open became the first major tournament to offer equal prize money to both male and female competitors.

In 1981, she broke barriers once again by becoming one of the first prominent athletes in American sports to come out as gay, paving the way for greater LGBTQ+ visibility and acceptance in athletics.

After her playing career, King became the first woman to serve as a commissioner in professional sports, co-founding and leading World Team Tennis (WTT): a league that brought men and women together on the same court, competing as equals. In 2006, her contributions were immortalized when the United States Tennis Association renamed its flagship venue the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, home of the US Open.

Her activism didn’t end when she put down the racquet. King’s fight continued—in boardrooms, courtrooms, and classrooms—wherever decisions were made and equity needed a champion.

Los Angeles born and raised Oscar-winning actor Jamie Lee Curtis said during the ceremony, “There is not a woman in any professional sport or any LGBTQ+ human being whose life has not been shaped and helped and supported by this extraordinary woman’s great talents and her even greater contributions to improving the lives of other people on a daily basis.”

In 2019, King was appointed the Fed Cup Global Ambassador, and in September 2020, the women’s world tennis championship was renamed the Billie Jean King Cup, making it the first global sporting event to be named after a woman!

A Platform for Change 

King’s influence off the court is as powerful as her forehand. She’s a tireless advocate for gender equity, LGBTQ+ rights, and racial justice, using her platform to speak out, stand up, and spark change. In 2009, she was the first woman athlete to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, in ceremonies at the White House. In January, King served as grand marshal of the 136th Rose Parade, riding in a 1937 Rolls-Royce Phantom III. The honor was announced in October 2024, with King making a grand entrance to Elton John’s song, “Philadelphia Freedom,” a song John famously wrote in her honor. Last year she was the first individual female athlete awarded a Congressional Gold Medal—the highest honor presented by the U.S. Congress—for her “courageous and groundbreaking leadership in advancing equal rights for women in athletics, education, and society.”

King’s advocacy helped spark national conversations that influenced legislation like Title IX, opening doors for millions of girls to participate in sports and pursue equality through athletics. USTA is proud to report that in 2024, 43% of U.S. tennis players were female.

“I am very happy I’ve lived this long to see the women’s sports movement at its tipping point now, you know, at every level,” King said. “And I thank Title IX in 1972 for that to help make it happen, but I also thank all the investors who really invest in women’s sports now, and it’s a business for them it’s not just a charity, which is huge.”

She is a New York Times bestselling author, part owner of several major sports teams, including the Los Angeles Dodgers, Angel City FC, and the L.A. Sparks, and continues to champion inclusive leadership in the business of sports.

Celebrating a Star That Belongs to Everyone

The great Billie Jean King continues to break barriers—this time, as the first female athlete to be honored with a sports entertainment star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

“It makes me feel excited, but it makes me feel more excited about getting more women athletes here on the Walk of Fame,” said King.

The ceremony wasn’t just a tribute to her legendary career—it was a celebration of friendship, progress, and the enduring power of her voice. As the crowd gathered on the iconic boulevard, horns honking and the energy of Hollywood all around, King stood proud but humble, reflecting on the little girl from Long Beach who dreamed big, and seeing just how far she’d come.

“My family loved music and movies. A trip to Hollywood, a movie at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, was a special treat,” she said. “My mother would have loved this.”

King, who attended actor Holly Hunter’s star ceremony in 2008, shared that she never imagined receiving one herself.

“I remember thinking back then, ‘Oh man, this is really cool. This is unbelievable,’” she said. “‘Oh, I’m never going to get this.’ Here I am.”

Her bronze star, placed just a few blocks from the star of her longtime friend Elton John, was ceremoniously unveiled—and King was the first to step on it.

“Remember,” she said, “my star is your star.”

The event was filled with faces from every chapter of King’s groundbreaking journey. Her wife Ilana Kloss stood by her side, along with a constellation of friends and supporters: Rosie Casals and Julie Anthony, who played alongside her during the early days of the WTA Tour; Connie Spooner, the tour’s retired athletic trainer; and Stacey Allaster, former WTA CEO and current U.S. Open tournament director. Five-time major champion Maria Sharapova was also there, paying tribute to one of the sport’s greatest trailblazers. 

NBA legend and fellow Los Angeles icon Magic Johnson, who—like King—is a part owner of the Dodgers, led the ceremony alongside Jamie Lee Curtis. Both stars gave emotional speeches.

“Even today, you continue to fight for people who know they don’t have the same type of platform that you have, and you rally around them,” Johnson said. “You always fight for what’s right. You lend your platform and your voice and your time and your money to bring about change.”

Earlier that day, Johnson and the Dodgers were honored at the White House for their 2024 World Series win. But in Hollywood, he was there to celebrate a different kind of champion.

“We’re just alike,” Johnson said. “We’re super competitive as hell, we’re control freaks because we know that if you put it in our hands we’re going to win. You’ve been a winner your whole life, you love to help people and last but not least, you always will stand for what’s right.”

Following the event, the Los Angeles Lakers star took to Instagram to express how honored he was to attend the ceremony, calling her an “inspirational force and change-marker.”

“I am so honored that I was able to attend the Hollywood Walk of Fame Ceremony for my incredible business partner and one of the greatest tennis champions in the world, Billie Jean King!” Johnson wrote. “I will always admire how she spearheaded equal pay for women tennis players! She has used her platform to advocate and advance equal rights for so many including women and members of the LGBTQA community.”

King and Johnson are among a select few connected to the Dodgers who have earned stars on the Walk of Fame, joining legendary broadcasters Vin Scully and Jaime Jarrín. In 2008, the Dodgers franchise itself was awarded a star, becoming the first team in any sport to receive this prestigious honor.

Close friend Jamie Lee Curtis also sang praises during the ceremony: “This star today is so much greater and brighter than your sport because like her, your star is about love and allyship and advocacy and enthusiasm and partnership and your fierce devoted belief in equality for all.” She continued, “Billie Jean King’s contribution is power. She’s power on the courts, she’s power in the courts, she’s power in the press, power in her public advocacy, power in her fight for freedom, power to be who she is now.”

The star-studded crowd also included Lakers owner Jeanie Buss and her husband, actor, and comedian Jay Mohr, rapper Flavor Flav, professional race-car driver Katherine Legge, and Emmy-winning screenwriter Jane Anderson. Among them was Cathy Jacobson-Guzy, Manager of Special Projects at USTA Southern California and a pivotal figure in Billie Jean King’s legacy. A former business partner and longtime friend, Jacobson-Guzy co-founded the groundbreaking management company ‘King’s Aces’ alongside King—an endeavor that helped shape the future of tennis both on and off the court.

“It was truly an honor to be part of such a historic event,” explained Jacobson-Guzy. “With only 50 people invited, it meant so much that Billie chose to surround herself with close friends and family to share this special day with her.”

And in true Billie Jean King fashion, she used her moment in the spotlight not just to celebrate—but to inspire.

“The important thing is, I don’t want to be the last one.”

A Shining Moment for SoCal, and the World

Billie Jean King’s star isn’t just a symbol of her fame. It’s a symbol of her impact—on sports, on society, and on Southern California. She has not only made history; she’s reshaped it.

At USTA Southern California, we couldn’t be prouder to celebrate a true local legend. Billie Jean King represents everything we strive for in this region: passion, perseverance, and purpose. Her star now glimmers on Hollywood Boulevard, but she’s always been a guiding light for SoCal, and the world.

Congratulations, Billie Jean. Your star is our star.