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Billie Jean King Is First Woman Honored in “Sports Entertainment” Category for Hollywood Walk of Fame

The 39-time Grand Slam title holder was presented with her star on Monday with guest speakers, Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson and Jamie Lee Curtis.

Bailey Colon

Billie Jean King
Billie Jean King / Kevin Winter/Getty Images

On Monday, April 7, Hollywood carved a permanent tribute for the woman whose legacy stretches far beyond the sport in which she claimed her fame: Billie Jean King.

King is the first woman to garner a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the “Sports Entertainment” category. Fellow honorees in the category include two-time Emmy winner and NFL Hall of Famer Michael Strahan and actor/sports figure, Carl Weathers.

“Words cannot express how honored and grateful l am to receive this star,” King shared on Instagram, along with a photo at the event. NBA legend, Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson, and Oscar-winning actress, Jamie Lee Curtis, frame King in the snapshot as she sits in front of her newly polished star.

“I may be the first woman to be awarded a star in this category, but l'm certainly not going to be the last,” she finished, “Let’s keep going for it!”

King’s sentiment is a testament to her legacy as an athlete and an individual. The tennis legend notched 39 Grand Slam titles, 20 Wimbleton champions, and her on and off-court advocacy—notoriously displayed in her 1973 ‘Battle of the Sexes’ match vs. Bobby Riggs—was paramount to revolutionizing women’s equality in the game.

Alongside athletics, King devotes her career to LGBT+ advocacy after being publicly outed during her athletic career in 1981. She earned the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama in 2009 for her contributions in this space.

“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,” Curtis shared in support on Monday.

King also continues to grow women’s athletics beyond tennis, with investments in multiple professional women’s sports leagues including the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).

In support for the trailblazer, five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova and race-car driver Katherine Legge attended the event in person, while female athletes from a plethora of sports showed their support with comments on King's Instagram post.

“So deserved!!! Trail blazer for all women,” SI Swuimsut model, Lindsey Vonn, declared.

“Deserved, you have been a shining light for all of us, and I love to see when people honor your longevity in greatness ❤️,” Nancy Lieberman complimented.

“congratualtions !!!! well deserved,” Coco Gauff shared.

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Bailey Colon
BAILEY COLON

Bailey Colón is a writer on the Breaking and Trending News team for SI Swimsuit. Before joining SI Swimsuit, Colón worked at the National Basketball Association where she served as a founding member of the ‘Starting 5’ newsletter and led editorial operations for the NBA App and dotcom. Colón is particularly passionate about the impact of athletics on popular culture, fashion and media. The New England native has a bachelor’s degree from Marist College in journalism and political science.

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