Today's bonus episode is an encore presentation of a conversation I had with

basketball star Sioux Bird back in January 2021 as we cycle through 10 of my all-time favorite

episodes. This particular episode was done really early in the show's life.

It was only our 12th episode. My producer at that time, not Morgan, she came on board a little later.

I thought it was important that we expand the set of guests I was talking to.

Most of the guests up to that point had either in people I already knew or people who studied things I knew a lot about.

So I grudgingly said okay to having Sue Bird on the show, despite the fact that every single conversation I'd ever tried to have with a professional athlete had been disastrous.

I was dreading this conversation, but Sue won me over within seconds.

Her answers were so thoughtful and honest,

her voice so friendly and enthusiastic.

We ended up having a remarkably wide-ranging conversation.

It was really fun for me now two and a half

years later to go back and have the chance to listen to that conversation. Some people collect comic books or sports pair finalia or old vinyl records.

Well, my guest today, Sue Bird, she collects championships. She has four WNA championships, five Euro League basketball

championships, two NCAA championships, four International Basketball Federation World Cups, and four Olympic gold medals.

And at the age of 40 she's still going strong, leading the Seattle Storm to the

W NBA title this fall and looking to collect her fifth Olympic gold if and win the Tokyo Olympics take place.

Subbert is busy off the court as well. She recently helped negotiate a landmark collective bargaining

agreement for the W NBA players and she and

soccer star Megan Rapino got engaged last October.

We need to expect to be paid well.

We need to expect to have opportunity.

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