Michelle Snow
A high-flying WNBA center who shattered backboards with her dunks and brought a unique blend of athleticism and flair to the women's game.
Born 1980 (age 46)·American basketball player·Birthday: March 20·Generation X
Biography
Michelle Snow changed the geometry of the women's basketball court. At 6'5", she possessed a guard's agility and a leaping ability that made her a human highlight reel. She entered the WNBA as a first-round pick and immediately became known for her dunking prowess, a rare feat she performed in both college and professional games. While a dependable scorer and rebounder for teams like the Houston Comets and Chicago Sky, her true impact was symbolic—she expanded the perception of what was possible for women players. Snow's career took her across the globe, from Russia to Turkey, where her skills remained in demand. She played the game with a visible joy and power that inspired a generation to aim higher, literally and figuratively.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Michelle was born in 1980, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Michelle Was Born
The biggest hits of 1980
#1 Movie
The Empire Strikes Back
Best Picture
Ordinary People
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Michelle's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1980Born
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1985Started school
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1993Became a teenager
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1996Could drive
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1998Could vote
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Turned 21
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2010Turned 30
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 40
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 46 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Became only the second woman to dunk in a WNBA game, achieving the feat in 2002 with the Houston Comets.
- Selected as a WNBA All-Star in 2005 and 2006 while playing for the Houston Comets.
- Led the University of Tennessee to the NCAA Women's Final Four in 2000 and 2002 under coach Pat Summitt.
- Averaged a double-double in the 2006 WNBA season with 10.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game.
Did You Know?
She famously dunked in high school, college, the WNBA, and internationally, achieving the feat at every level.
Snow was a standout track and field athlete in high school, competing in the heptathlon.
She was featured in a popular Nike "Freestyle" commercial in 2001 alongside other NBA and WNBA stars.
“I dunked to show young girls the game has no ceiling, only space to rise.”
