This week, I had a conversation on my WNBA podcast with USA Today’s Callie Fin about how the league empowered her during a medically dangerous pregnancy. The WNBA has changed my brain chemistry in ways I couldn’t have imagined. I show up to the arena less self-conscious, more authentic. I’ve had conversations about identity, community, and ambition around this league that simply do not happen in many other corners of professional sports. This is a league that’s anchored by vital fan communities who mobilize one another into action and players who have made a tangible impact on election outcomes in this country. There is so much about women’s basketball that breathes genuine life into the people around it.

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: The WNBA has changed my brain chemistry in ways I …