Ahead of Game 4 of the WNBA Finals against the New York Liberty, star Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier spoke of another passion beyond the basketball court.
Collier is an outspoken advocate for reproductive rights. She’s carrying a message of supporting women’s right to choose and recently partnered with the country’s first over-the-counter birth control pill.
It’s not lost on her that the WNBA playoffs is coinciding with an unprecedented, overdue spotlight on women’s sports, particularly in professional basketball, but also in the political arena as the country decides whether to elect its first woman president.
“I feel like women’s sports is a reflection of society,” Collier said in an exclusive pregame interview Friday. “You see us growing, you see women in society getting more powerful. … Women are just on such a rise as a whole. So it’s really fun to be a part of that in a small way. Obviously, this is a game, things much bigger are happening. But to be a part of it anyway, it’s really exciting.”
Collier, 28, who is balancing her WNBA career with motherhood, explained why she has been so vocal on the issue of reproductive rights. “Because so many of our rights feel like they’re getting rolled back, and they are in danger of that happening. So we have to be able to vote accordingly.”
It’s long been a key political issue, but has grown since 2022 when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, opening the door for states to impose abortion bans.
