Charli Collier has a lot to look forward to in 2022. She’ll try to build on a season that saw her named to the WNBA’s All-Rookie team as she helped a young and talented Dallas Wings team earn a playoff berth.
In the video interview that serves as the centerpiece of this blog post, Collier also takes a look back.
The 22-year-old understands that the basketball opportunities on which she’s capitalized, including a standout career at the University of Texas that led to the Wings selecting her first overall in the 2021 WNBA Draft, did not come in a vacuum.
As we begin Black History Month, we hear from Collier about a woman who personally influenced her growing up, Retha Swindell. Swindell came of age in an era with limited opportunities for people of her ethnicity and gender, but she persevered to clear a path Collier and others could follow. In the interview, we explore a bit about what Swindell did and about Collier’s own hoops experiences.
The Dallas Wings open their 2022 WNBA season May 7 when they host the Atlanta Dream at College Park Center in Arlington. It’s something to look forward to as we think about figures of the past whose actions led to a world where women – including Black women – can play basketball professionally in the United States.
