Laflin says both men, women in sports, including Kobe Bryant, empowered her throughout her career
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Bonnie-Jill Laflin, the first and only female scout in the NBA, is out with a new book titled "In A League of Her Own: Celebrating Female Firsts in Sports."
The former NFL and NBA dancer-turned-journalist called upon herself to make readers aware of the impact and importance of some of the first women in sports. In the book, Laflin details anecdotes, society-led grievances and broad-spectrum experiences of 19 well-known women and their untold stories battling for equality in sports.
"I wanted to highlight the trailblazers who paved the way for us," Laflin told Fox News Digital.
In the book, Laflin pieces together the historical industry brush-ups of sports stars like Danica Patrick and Billie Jean King but also magnifies the special stories of those she refers to as "hidden gems", including Jayne Kennedy, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Manon Rhéaume and Julie Krone.
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(Bonnie-Jill Laflin)
"I wanted to have different walks of life in my book," Laflin said. "These are all women who inspired me."
Laflin told Fox that at the start of her career, some women in sports weren’t as empowering as they are today. Despite this, it’s key for her to invoke inspiration in women of all ages anywhere in their careers.
"It’s really important for me to put a hand out to help where I can," she said. Laflin also founded the nonprofit organization "Hounds and Heroes."
Laflin kick-started her career in scouting as a pregame and postgame sports reporter for the Los Angeles Lakers before becoming an unpaid scout for the team. And while various unbroken female sports figures have inspired her to continue building her empire, she also credits the men who rally behind her, too.
"I wasn’t comfortable in my own skin," Laflin said of herself as a first-year NBA scout. She revealed that she concealed her hair in a ball cap and sported baggy sweatpants to fit what she thought was the part.
"I was trying to be one of the boys," she said. It was Brian Shaw, now assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers, who encouraged Laflin to find her place in the industry.
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"He told me, ‘You’ve got to be comfortable in your own skin,’" she said. Laflin went on to sign as a scout for the Lakers for 13 years, five of which produced championship rings.
"And Kobe, too," she said of NBA legend, Kobe Bryant. She described Bryant as a mentor, friend and confidant who took pride in empowering women in the industry.
"Kobe would see me crying," she said of the times she’d read comments about herself in the media. "He’d say ‘This is good. You want to have naysayers. You want to have doubters.’"
All of that, work ethic and more, was what struck Laflin to write a book. After three years of talking with publishers, she wrote, not just any book, but a book she would be proud of.
"They said, ‘I want you to do a tell-all book about your days with the Lakers, days with the Dallas Cowboys,’" she said. While Laflin understood publishers sought out a deep dive into the secrets of athlete’s lives, that wasn’t where her head or heart were at: "I wanted to write a book that was inspiring for women."
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Laflin hopes this book is used by journalism schools and individuals to show women how capable and resilient they are, as long as they immerse themselves in their own goals.
"This book is one of the things I’m most proud of," she said. "My ‘why’ is to show women that there is a space for them."
As for her advice for other women looking to break into the sports industry, she’s radiating guidance.
"Take any job you can to just get in the door," she said. She recommends a job, an internship or even a place in ticket sales to prove your commitment. She emphasizes the need for determination, drive for success and lack of forsaking: "As we know, you’re not just handed things. You have to work hard for things. You have to prove yourself, be versatile."
"Yes, I’m on air, but I can write, produce, shoot, too," she concluded.
Gabriele Regalbuto is an SEO editor at Fox News Digital. Gabriele has a Journalism and Communications degree from West Virginia University. She has worked to produce content for newspapers, magazines, and digital platforms. At Fox, she has assisted in coverage of breaking news events including the 2024 presidential cycle, 2022 midterm elections, Queen Elizabeth II's death, the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
