In Case You Missed It with Christina Williams is an iheartwomen's sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. Welcome back to another edition of In Case You miss It with Christino Williams, and I'm super excited about today's guests. As you guys know, today's election day and so here to break it all down for us is nine times WNBA All Star and champion Mecca Agumacy. Hey, Mecca, welcome to the show.
Thanks for having me.
Okay, so I want to just dive right into it. Today's election day and you've obviously joined Lebron James's More Than a Vote initiative, So can you just tell us the story behind that collaboration.
Well, I mean I was kind of, I guess called upon in twenty twenty in the election concluding the bubble, and of course we had a lot of initiatives going on during the election, but that was when I was first reached out to about how we as athletes can use our platforms to ensure that people are voting, registering, understanding how they can impact their communities and also use their own platforms and also their own power to be able to have a say.
Why did you choose to have a focus or emphasis on reproductive rights with this initiative.
Well, that's definitely an issue that's front and center. It definitely hits home for me and so many other women athletes because we earn our living with our bodies and to be able to have agency over our bodies, whether it comes to how we earn our living, our health and benefits and family planning. However it is that people
want to consider those things for themselves. I think it is important to understand that it is our choice and there's no business even the governments to be able to make a decision on what we can do with our bodies.
What are some ways that more than the Vote has been able to engage voters in this time period and what athletes have joined on to support the initiative.
Yeah, so we have had a lot of different tour stops. Of course, there's a lot of voting organizations, and we've been able to collaborate with Get out the Vote when we all vote, and so many others, and so along these tour stops we try to meet people and communities
where they're at. You know, there's been block parties, there's been course rides, there's been low rides, and so we've had a lot of opportunity to be able to engage with our community, celebrate the culture around democracy and voting, and also empower those to understand just how impactful their vote is and how you can also use their individual
platforms to impact their communities. And so I've had the pleasure of being able to go to Arizona and low ride to a voting location where they had a lot of energy and excitement, especially on I think it was Latin voters registration Day, either registration or voting day. I don't want to misspeak on that, but I had the
opportunity to do that. I was able to go to Atlanta and support Michelle Obama with her continued voting initiatives, and so we were able to talk to HBCU students, a lot of first time voters, and I've had a lot of help with Diana and Maya and Beg They've all been a part of this initiative in the key swing states where we really want people to know.
The power of the vote. The WNBA has always been at the forefront of activism and social activism. Why is it a natural fit for players like yourself, the Beg's, the Maya Mores, the Diana Tarazzis to get active and mobilize people.
Well, I mean, I think that we're kind of born into it. I think that, you know, being women, mostly black women, queer women, I mean, there's just so many intersectionalities that we just inherently exist in. And I think that because it's something that we've always known, because it's the space that we've always occupied, and you know, a lot of our differences in communities that don't necessarily look
like us have brought us together. Being able to play as a woman in sport, which is another part of the intersectionality that brings us together to understand our differences, but also the similar journey in the fight towards equality and equity and value and worth. It's just inherent in a lot of the women that end up playing in the dub NBA, and it's very natural that our disposition is not only to want better, but to want better for everyone.
In twenty twenty, we saw what happened when WNBA players got together worked together to flip the Senate in Georgia, and I feel like during this election cycle, there's still that sense of urgency right to get people out and engage to vote. But then there's people out there who are saying sports and politics should not intersect. So what do you say to those critics who feel like athletes should stay out of politics.
I don't see how it's possible, because we are citizens, you know, So I think that those that don't want sports and politics to intersect are those that want to suppress the platforms that we do have, you know, outside of politics, we would be remiss not to use our platform for good and not to use our platform to engage the fans that follow us in ways that I'm
sure a lot of them identify with. And albeit you know, I say all the time, I wish we could just shut up and dribble, but that we just simply can't.
And it's not something that we should do anyway, because we see outside of sports, maybe even in entertainment, and other experts in their field, other leaders in you know, their respective careers using their platforms and sports is something that creates a common ground for a lot of different people to enter a space, and it's beautiful how you can use that platform to extend the commonalities amongst so many different people that just simply all love basketball in this case.
As election day unfolds today, what's your final message to the voters.
I mean, I think that the biggest message that I can impart upon people is that your vote does matter. You know, I can understand how people would think that, oh, my one vote does not matter, but it takes many singular votes to make a very big decision. And understanding the power of being a part of that, the power of having a say, the power of just being able to represent yourself and your community and then using your platform to engage others in the same way is incredibly important.
So your vote really does matter, and you can do it with people who you care about. You can do it with people who you're trying to influence as well. And practicing this as a part of the beautiful culture that is democracy, I think is incredibly important.
As the w MVPA president and an active player as well. What's your take on the recent decision to opt out of the current WNBACBAH.
I mean, I'm not incredibly surprised, you know, we were able to get the vote back in and inform the league and ultimately make the announcement. I'm not incredibly surprised, and I think that the timing. The timing is right, and the timing does matter. You know, we're seeing such an incredible surge in women's sports, specifically women's basketball, and our players want a piece of the business that is growing, that has a lot to do, if not mostly to do with the players. We want a piece of that
valuable business. And we know that we serve as the foundation for where this league is going. And I'm excited to see what we can yield from these negotiations.
We met Terry Jackson on the show two weeks ago and she kind of broke down like what the process is starting to look like and this time around, she said that everything is literally on the table compared to the last negotiations in twenty twenty. So what's the ideal outcome for the players and this next round of negotiations over the next year.
Well, I mean, I think the outcome.
Ideal outcome is certainly being able to come to an agreement before the twenty twenty sixth season, although I know that our players are prepared. Ideally, we want people to be incredibly informed and to address all the things that are on the table. There's a lot of things that
are very important to the players. We just opted out, so there's a lot of discussions to be had, but I do anticipate negotiating more salary and compensation without a doubt, you know, and having the player experience, player health and safety, player value as it's reflected in contracts, to match the experience that is clearly being shown in the DUBNBA as we know it today.
So you mentioned how players are you know, prepared for twenty twenty six and how you want to get the still done before the twenty twenty sixth season. What players consider delaying the start of the twenty twenty sixth season to secure a fair CBA deal.
I mean, I think players are prepared, but it's not something that we that's like the desired outcome. There's a lot that needs to be discussed before we even get to negotiation. So it's very hard to even anticipate how negotiations will go. But right now we're prepared for twenty twenty five season, I hopefully a collaborative negotiation, and then going into twenty twenty six with historical news.
I'm curious because you know, you are such a high performing athlete, play some of your best basketballer season with Seattle. But then you have so many responsibilities as the WMVPA president. How have you been able to you know, balance those demands together.
I mean, I think in the beginning was there was a lot of learning around the role of presidency. And then there's been a lot of restructuring of the PA staff and even the executive committee and our governance, and that has helped a lot. We've grown so much, and I don't want anyone thinking that I do this job alone. It's definitely not what the role of a president is. There's an incredible support staff and our players Association staff,
but the players aren't engage. We have an executive committee that consists of seven members, and we have player reps and alternate player reps, and those players communicate with their teammates for us to be able to really understand how we can move forward and progress in all the things that we do. So I think now I kind of had hit the groove of it.
But I am.
Hoping that this becomes a role that is more coveted, I guess, or at least, you know, doesn't resort on someone just running unopposed consistently. So I'm excited to see how the growth of this role can impact the PA and ultimately league missioner.
Aguma, Kay, how does that sound to you? But seriously, I watched Shatter Glass and I saw players like Brianna Stewart, John called Jones kind of hyphen I'm saying that they would vote for you if you wanted to, you know, after your career be the commissioner of the w NBA. Would you consider the opportunity if it ever presented itself.
I mean, I think it's hard to say now.
I don't close doors, but I definitely know that I still want to be involved in sports when I'm done playing, which I feel like I still have a few good years left to play.
What, in your opinion makes you appealing as a leader, Because so many players, they always bring your name up in as such a positive light as being a great leader. What do you think is appealing to you to other people?
I mean, I try to be approachable.
I am the oldest of four daughters, and I'm Nigerian, so I think that naturally I take care of people, and I'm a cancer sign. So like it's just kind of like a whole bunch of situations. Yeah, I cannot escape it. But yeah, I think that I just try my best to listen, and I do what I can to not just listen, but to provide support in whatever way is possible. So if I know the answer, I give people an answer. If I don't know the answer, I do my best to direct them to someone who does.
And I think that that starts with listening and ultimately developing a disposition that makes people feel like I'm approachable.
You were the number one pick in the twenty twelve draft, drafted to the Sparks with teammates Atlanta Bear Christy Tolliver Candas Parker, who's also a legend. What's your best story from your rookie season.
I think it was my rookie year.
We were playing Seattle at home and I think I hit a game winner, and so that was kind of exciting. It was early on in the season.
All right, So you brought up game winners in twenty sixteen w NBA Finals. Candas Parker brought it up online during the w NBA Finals this year about the shot clock. Was it a shot clock violation? Oh?
Yeah, it was.
Okay, I'm not gonna lie, like the video is not gonna lie.
They missed it.
They missed it, and you just live with it.
It is what it is.
Yeah, I mean, they missed a backcourt violation the game before that, and at that time people were talking about both calls. You know, Now, do we know if it would change the outcome of either one of those games or the series.
We will never know. But it's a part of the game.
Like, calls are missed all the time, and you know, we saw in Game five, like there were a lot of situations where people felt like calls could have gone different ways.
It's a part of basketball.
But you know, no one can take away the fact that I won a championship, So I'm not really going to complain about it.
Period love to see it. How would you sum up your first season with the Seattle Storm.
The word that comes to mind is renewed. You know, I feel as though I feel renewed as a player and as a person. I feel there's a re energizing of me and my journey and my career in this league, and I'm excited to see, you know where that can take me.
You're unrestricted free agent, and again, what will determine you re signing with a Storm or looking for another opportunity elsewhere.
I mean, right now, what's important to me is definitely ownership, engagement, coaching, staff, practice, facility, and being competitive with teammates that provide a good locker room. I'm entering a year fourteen, so I don't really have time for the bus so I'm like trying to go in there, have fun, you know, play when compete, but do it also in a way where I feel supported both physically and mentally, you know.
So those are all the things. I mean, Seattle has all those things, so.
He'll keep our eye out for you in the off season. Mecca, thank you so much for joining us this week on in Case You Missed It with Christina Williams. Definitely a pleasure. And to all of our listeners out there, please please please don't forget to go out and vote today. Thank you so much, Mecca, Yes.
Thank you.
We're going to take a quick break and when we get back, it's time for the things that I loved this week more on A Case You Mistic with Christina Williams. When we get back, All right, y'all, it's time for the things that I love this week. And I really enjoyed attending the air series Jordan brand basketball run last week, but it's going to be the thing that I love
this week. So I was invited along with some other women in sports and media to Nike's headquarters in New York City to wear tests their new shoe Air Series, which is a new basketball shoe that takes insights from the Jordan Brand female roster of athletes, and so we were able to wear the shoe get some cool Jordan brand gear to wear. We went through some skills and drills and I'm not gonna lie, your girl is so out of shape. I have not played basketball in forever.
But it was cool.
It was cool because the coaches that we had and our hosts, Ashanti, they made us feel so good. So yeah, they put us through the skills and drills and we were going full court with everything. We were doing defensive slides, we were doing full court layup drills, full court jumpshot drills. I thought we were going to look cute, and it was just like now, like y'all really came here to
work us out, and so we did that. We did some one b one I'm gonna lie your girl was the first call out on the steal the Bacon one v one and you know, I got a rebound, I crossed up my opponent and took it to the rim and I had the first points for my team and that was great. So that was fun. It was like riding a bike. Everything just started coming back to me. And then we had a scrimmage at the end. But it was really dope to have a little reunion of sorts with some of the women I do know already
in the basketball space, meet some new people. And I actually enjoyed wearing a shoe. I think that. And this is I'm not sponsored by them in any way, and I'm not just saying this to say it, but it was really a really comfortable shoe, Like it felt lightweight on my foot. It was very comfortable, I felt cushioned, I felt protected, so it gave me really great support and the design was fire. I got a really cool
orange pier to take home with me. So I really, really, do you know, believe that this could be the next great basketball shoe. And the thing that I love the most about it is that it really takes insights from women and uses that science, I guess to design the shoe. Whereas when you're in this space, you notice that a lot of the basketball shoes performance shoes are designed and the standard is based off measurements and insights from men. So I love this new wave of women's basketball shoes
that are coming out. Obviously, the Subrindian Mascu shoes are out already, A Stewart has her own shoe. Mulac cakes exist. But it's really dope to see Jordan Brand just really throw their hat in the game. They have a dope lineup of rosters front to the show. Deerica Handby is one of the athletes signed the Jordan Brand, So it was really really dope to be able to attend that weird test and YO, do my thing. Will I enjoy
ever playing basketball again? I don't know that's up for debate because your girl's niece was hurting for about forty eight hours. So yeah, that was probably like the first and last I'm out engaged in some basketball activity. But nonetheless I had a lot of fun. That's gonna do it for the things that I love. This week, don't forget to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast. And next up we have WNBA legend Simone Augustus on the show, so make sure you put your notifications on because you're
not gonna want to miss this. Peace in case you missed it with Christina Williams is an iHeart women's sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.