Billie Jean King has spent her entire life making history, but now she is officially studying it. The -year-old tennis icon is taking social media by storm after revealing that she has returned to college to earn her degree, proving that it is never too late to check a major goal off your bucket list.
Despite a career that includes Grand Slam titles and a Presidential Medal of Freedom, King admitted that one personal regret has always “gnawed” at her. To become the world’s No. tennis player, she had to drop out of school as a young woman. Now, she is finally finishing what she started.
“I’ve been saying, ‘I never finished school,'” King shared during a recent Zoom call, fresh off a history lecture. “I’m calling it the road to graduation. I want to finish before I’m out of here.”
The Road to Graduation
King is currently enrolled at Cal State LA, where she is pursuing a degree in historiography. While most celebrities her age might be slowing down, King is busy juggling papers and reading assignments alongside her full-time advocacy work.
Fans on X (formerly Twitter) have been quick to celebrate the move, with many calling her an inspiration for lifelong learning. “If Billie Jean King can do homework at , I can finish my to-do list today,” one fan joked in a viral post.
For King, the degree is a natural fit. She has always been a history buff, noting that her understanding of the past helped her reshape the future of women’s sports. “I’m a huge believer that the more you know about history, the more you know about yourself,” she explained.
A Historic Walk of Fame Moment
The news of her academic journey comes just as the tennis legend prepares for another major milestone. On April , King will be immortalized with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
While other female athletes like Sonja Henie and Esther Williams have stars, King is making history as the first female athlete to receive the honor who didn’t transition into a career in acting. She remains a Southern California girl at heart, recalling how she would travel from Long Beach to L.A. for tournaments as a kid.
“This is great because I’m from Long Beach, Calif., and the Walk of Fame is a big deal,” King said. She also used the moment to advocate for more diversity on the famous strip, suggesting her hero, Althea Gibson, should be next in line for a star.
Advice for the Next Generation
As women’s sports continue to see a massive surge in popularity—from the WNBA to the Angel City Football Club, which King part-owns—the legend is offering some blunt advice to the new crop of stars like Coco Gauff.
“Know the business. Understand the business,” King urged. She emphasized that players should look beyond the court and learn about sponsors and investing. She noted that while her generation fought for $-a-day prize money, she smiles seeing today’s stars earn multi-million dollar checks.
“Our dream was… that we would be able to make a living because making $ a day wasn’t working,” she recalled of the early pro tennis days.
Billie’s Take on the Pickleball Craze
Of course, it wouldn’t be a conversation about racquet sports in without mentioning the pickleball explosion. While King is happy to see people staying active, she isn’t exactly joining a league anytime soon.
“I don’t like the noise, and there are so many injuries,” King admitted, mentioning her brother-in-law’s recent knee surgery after a match. “But I think it’s great that people are moving… but I still can hit a tennis ball.”
Whether she is hitting a cross-court forehand or turning in a history term paper, Billie Jean King continues to be the ultimate gamechanger. As she nears her graduation day, the world is cheering her on for this final, historic win.
