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Sheryl Swoopes kept it real about her pregnancy prior to the 1997 season on the latest edition of the Levels to This with Sheryl Swoopes podcast, produced by iHeartPodcasts as a part of the company's new Women's Sports Audio Network. After a decorated career in college basketball and for the USA Women's Basketball Team, Swoopes was recruited by the Houston Comets. But, her pregnancy with her son delayed her start to her WNBA career.
On the podcast, she talked about her feelings about her pregnancy and how it impacted the early start of her career.
“I never set out to get pregnant, especially right before the W[NBA] started in '97…I took six home pregnancy tests…It wasn't because I wasn't excited about it, it was the unknown, right? I was scared of becoming a mom. And also, the league was about to start. I had signed a contract to play and now I'm pregnant. So my first thought was, ‘Now what do I do? I had to tell my agent and my agent had to have a conversation with the league. She also had to have a conversation with my different brands. And so I was scared of what their response or their reaction was going to be. Especially being the first.”
Swoopes' journey as both an athlete and a mother elicited strong reactions from the sports community. The negativity directed at her fueled her determination to excel and silence her critics.
“There were actually people who had lots to say about me getting pregnant. Like, ‘How dare she? How could she let the league down? She should just stay home and take care of her child.’ If you know me, that's all I needed to hear. Because I'm gonna show you…There's so many working women and working moms out there who probably feel the same way, regardless of what your job is, you get pregnant and there's this thought of, I can't do both.”
And Swoopes certainly did just that. She went on to have a ten-year career that included wining 4 WNBA titles from 1997-2000 as one of the key pieces of the Comet dynasty alongside Cynthia Copper and Tina Thompson. She finished her career as one of the best WNBA Players of all time, winning three WNBA MVPs and three WNBA Defensive Player of the Year honors among other accolades.
Swoopes helped define an era of the WNBA. But still, the journey to personal fulfillment in your success as you defy the odds can be challenging. In an emotional moment on the podcast, she talked about this fact.
“I actually have tears in my eyes right now, because that sh–t gets overwhelming at times. Who do we talk to?… Until you have really, truly experienced it, you can't relate to what we're talking about. And we always worry, are we gonna be good enough at being a mom? Are we gonna be good enough at doing our job? Are we gonna be good enough at being a housewife? Whatever that role is or that title is, we do it, but we always question, ‘Is this good enough?’”
Sheryl Swoopes' story serves as a powerful reminder that success is not a one-size-fits-all concept. You have the freedom to live your life and play the game on your own terms. Levels To This is available on iHeartRadio and wherever you get your podcasts.
