Forbes named Billie Jean King to this year's Innovator 250 List, recognizing her as one of the country's greatest living innovators at No. 208.
Unveiled February 11th, this list honors transformational business leaders and entrepreneurs. It is part of a year-long Forbes campaign to mark the 250th anniversary of the United States.
Forbes cited King as having "catalyzed women's professional sports" through the founding the WTA. In 1970, King was one of nine players — known as the Original 9 — who signed symbolic $1 contracts to establish the Virginia Slims Tour, the predecessor to the modern WTA.
Three years later, King gathered more than 60 players in London one week before Wimbledon to formally create the WTA. with her peers electing her president.
Few stand as tall in the world of women’s sports as Billie Jean King. The legendary athlete and advocate leveraged her athletic dominance to build a powerful platform for equality, one that she has continued to scale, shattering barriers in sport and society.
— Forbes (@Forbes) February 17, 2026
See where Billie… pic.twitter.com/aQRDKtR5Vn
"Few stand as tall in the world of women's sports as Billie Jean King," Forbes wrote on X.
"The legendary athlete and advocate leveraged her athletic dominance to build a powerful platform for equality, one that she has continued to scale, shattering barriers in sport and society."
Billie Jean King Built Legacy Off and On the Tennis Court
The WTA now spans more than 1,600 players across the tour. In 2025, half of the world's 20 highest-paid women's sports athletes competed on the circuit, reflecting the professional infrastructure King helped build more than five decades ago.
King's influence extends far beyond the tennis court. She currently serves on the advisory board of the PWHL, launched in 2024 with backing from King's BJK Enterprises. She subsequently dropped the puck at the pro hockey league's inaugural game, going on to advocate for rapid expansion.
In 2020, King also joined Angel City FC's ownership group. She continues to play a role in the NWSL team, alongside Natalie Portman, Serena Williams, and other high-profile investors.
The Forbes recognition adds to a long list of King's honors, including a 2024 Congressional Gold Medal.
