If a man can do it, why can?t a woman?

Coaching a men?s pro basketball team, that is.

Kayang kaya rin ng babae iyan.

In America, former Old Dominion University star and Hall of Fame member Nancy Lieberman made history last November 18 when she coached the Texas Legends against the defending champion Rio Grande Valley Vipers in the National Basketball Association Development League, becoming the first female to coach a men?s professional basketball team.

The Legends, though, were beaten by the Vipers, 123-115, in the nationally-televised contest.

The Legends are based in Frisco, a suburb about a half-hour north of downtown Dallas. They took over from the Colorado 14ers franchise.

The Texas club is an affiliate of the NBA?s Dallas Mavericks. Donnie Nelson, the Mavericks? president of basketball operations, is a co-owner of the team. Former NBA head coach and Chinese Olympic team mentor Del Harris is the Legends? general manager and 1986 NBA Slam Dunk Champion Anthony (Spud) Webb is the club?s president of basketball operations.

Lieberman played for Old Dominion University from 1976-77 through 1979-80. Nicknamed ?Lady Magic? for her passing prowess, the 5-10 guard powered the Lady Monarchs to a pair of AIAW national championships.

At age 18, Lieberman suited up for the U.S. Olympic team to the 1976 Montreal Games, becoming the youngest player to earn a medal when the team took the silver.

In 1980-81, the Brooklyn, New York-born Lieberman began her professional career. She played for the Dallas Diamonds in the Women?s Professional Basketball League (WPBL), the first of four domestic professional leagues for which Lieberman would play. Lieberman also suited up for the Diamonds when they moved over to the Women?s American Basketball Association (WABA) in 1984.

The 52-year-old Lieberman has had a history of breaking gender barriers.

In 1986, Lieberman became the first female to play in a men?s professional league when she joined the Springfield Fame of the United States Basketball League (USBL). She averaged 1.7 points in 21 assignments with the Fame, who were coached by former NBA guard Henry Bibby, the father of current Atlanta Hawks guard Mike Bibby.

The following year, she hooked up with the Long Island Knights in the USBL and hit at a 0.8-point clip in 19 appearances with the troops of bench boss Dean Meminger, another former NBA guard.

During the 1987-88 season, Lieberman decided to tour with the male-dominated Washington Generals, the patsies for the comical Harlem Globetrotters. There, she met Continental Basketball Association (CBA) veteran and former Generals teammate Tim Cline, whom she married in 1988.

In May 1996, Lieberman was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Thereafter, she hooked up with the Athletes in Action, a team composed of former college greats that scrimmages with America?s top college programs. With AIA, she posted averages of 15.7 points, 6.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.8 steals in 17 games.

Lieberman hooked up with the Women?s National Basketball Association (NBA) in its inaugural campaign in 1997, coming off the bench to norm 2.6 points in 25 games with the Phoenix Mercury as the league?s oldest player at age 39.

In January 1998, Lieberman was named the head coach and general manager of the Detroit Shock.

Lieberman, who also was named to the Women?s Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999, made history once again in July 2008, when she literally shocked the professional basketball world by coming out of a playing retirement at age 50 and issuing two assists in a one-time appearance with the Shock.

Throughout her life, Lieberman was not only shattering gender barriers but also making unprecedented feats.