Advertise on podcast: Levels to This with Sheryl Swoopes and Terrika Foster-Brasby

On this episode of Levels to This, Sheryl Swoopes and Terrika Foster-Brasby break down who showed up in the first round of the WNBA playoffs and who didn't. Sheryl, a three-time MVP, talks about what it means for MVP candidates like A'ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart to perform in the postseason, and the duo discuss Olivia Miles' adjustment to her first playoff series and Angel Reese's defense. They also go through their awards ballots, share picks for Defensive Player of the Year and Most Improved Player, and close with a mantra about making decisions based on where you're going--regardless of who might hate it when you get there. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Levels to This, Sheryl Swoopes and Terrika Foster-Brasby are joined by two of their Sigma Gamma Rho sorors: award-winning director Okema T. Moore, a three-time American Black Film Festival winner, and producer Nicole "Sassy" Harrison, who went from offering to fetch Okema's coffee to a full IMDb page and VFX credits in a single year. They get into Love Zuri, the festival favorite that brought them together, and What Kim Saw, a vertical thriller made for Juicy Shorts, a new Black woman-owned streaming platform. Okema explains why she refused to use AI to create an AI character, why Black women need sponsors and not just mentors, and how she walked away from a six-figure Wall Street job at 36 to chase this dream. She also opens up about living fully out loud, including calling off her wedding two months out: "I said I don't 'cause I knew I didn't." Plus, Terrika gets ready for her last-ever Connecticut Sun broadcast, and Okema gives Sheryl her flowers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Levels to This, Sheryl Swoopes and Terrika Foster-Brasby are joined by Naismith Hall of Famer Van Chancellor, the Houston Comets head coach who won the WNBA's first four championships (1997–2000), was named Coach of the Year three straight times, and coached Sheryl for a decade in Houston and to Olympic gold in 2004. Van talks about the Comets' return to Houston, how he'd build a contender today, and why managing three superstars was 80% of his job. The admiration runs both ways: Van calls Sheryl possibly the greatest small forward ever, and Sheryl tells him he made her a better human, not just a better player. And after two years of Terrika trying to get dirt on Sheryl, Van finally delivers it, from her shopping habits to her Coke-and-Snickers pregame meal. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Levels to This, Sheryl Swoopes and Terrika Foster-Brasby break down Cathy Engelbert's retirement announcement, timed to slip out while the media's attention was on FIBA in Berlin (nice, Cathy!), and run through the names being floated to replace her. They also dig into Team USA's uneven start at FIBA, including the ugly shooting night against Italy. The duo saves their sharpest words for Linda Cohn, who suggested A'Ja Wilson was intimidated by Caitlin Clark before flipping her stance entirely, and Sheryl and Terrika don't hold back on media members rendering opinions on a sport they aren't actually qualified to be talking about. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Levels to This, Sheryl Swoopes and Terrika Foster-Brasby cope with the fact that Athletes Unlimited basketball is paused for 2027. It's a bummer! They also weigh in on DeWanna Bonner signing with the Dream (LOVE it) for another title run, and turn to the ridiculous criticism of A'ja Wilson's and Kelsey Plum's stepping away from FIBA. What's with people still scrutinizing players' personal needs? No is a complete sentence. Take the note: FIBA break is a break, and Terrika means it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Levels to This, Sheryl Swoopes and Terrika Foster-Brasby set the table for the playoffs: all eight teams are in, but the seeding fight is where it gets interesting, and a potential Atlanta–Indiana matchup has both of them poppin' popcorn. They get into Angel Reese's 26 rebounds (breaking Chamique Holdsclaw's 23-year-old record), why Minnesota is Terrika's pick to win it all, and who's got the most to lose in the first round. The duo also opens their early awards ballots — A'ja Wilson for MVP, Olivia Miles for Rookie of the Year, Janelle Salaün for Sixth Player of the Year — and a true toss up for Coach of the Year. Before tip-off, they shout out Natasha Cloud, check in on Gary, Indiana, and say goodbye to THE Dolly Parton. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Levels to This, Sheryl Swoopes and Terrika Foster-Brasby sit down with Shaniqua McClendon, Senior Vice President of Political Strategy (you heard that "senior" here first) at Crooked Media, for a conversation that is equal parts eye-opening and unfiltered. It's primary season and we've still got a long way to go until November. The trio digs into what sustainable civic engagement looks like for Black women who are... exhausted. Shaniqua doesn't hold back on what accountability must look like in a post-Trump America — and spoiler: somebody needs to go to prison. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Levels to This, Sheryl Swoopes and Terrika Foster-Brasby take issue with the people driving the "WNBA is Drama" storyline—even though they seem like they've never even watched a game. That includes the manufactured debate about transgender women "taking over" a league that hasn't had one in 30 years. Terrika shares a personal story and the receipts on how few trans athletes exist anywhere in sports. They also break down DiJonai Carrington's ejection, the history behind the "white privilege" post that followed, and why outside uneducated commentary is fueling an already lit fire. Sheryl and Terrika keep coming back to the same thing: the basketball stories are piping hot and not enough people are talking about them.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Levels to This, Sheryl Swoopes and Terrika Foster-Brasby break down the two moves that shook up the WNBA trade deadline: Aneesah Morrow heading from the Connecticut Sun to the Toronto Tempo, and All-Star guard Kelsey Plum getting dealt from the Sparks to the Phoenix Mercury. Sheryl admits she was already picturing Morrow in a Houston uniform, while Terrika digs into why a double-double machine kept riding the bench in Connecticut. They also try to make sense of the Plum move: why L.A. would break up a team it just built, whether Plum wanted out, and what both trades signal about which franchises are suddenly in win-now mode. Plus, the duo comes to the defense of analyst Monica McNutt, who caught heat for doing a TV hit from a pedicure chair ON HER DAY OFF— and they're not having the "unserious" talk. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Levels to This, hosts Sheryl Swoopes and Terrika Foster-Brasby are joined by Dr. Bettina Love, renowned public speaker, educator, and New York Times bestselling author of Punished for Dreaming. Dr. Love breaks down why "reform" is a word Black and brown communities should be skeptical of, and why America's racial inequities aren't a crisis — they're a continuation. Dr. Love brings real joy to the conversation, breaking down what black joy actually means: the spades table where nobody's thinking about white folks, the sundress that needs no explanation, the McDonald's money question that transcends generations. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Levels to This, Sheryl Swoopes and Terrika Foster-Brasby kick off All-Star week by addressing the controversy that almost overshadowed it: Toronto Tempo head coach Sandy Brondello's one-game suspension for calling Angel Reese a "protected species" during a game. Sheryl and Terrika break down why the phrase landed the way it did regardless of intent, why Angel always seems to absorb the most heat in this league, and why the people defending Brondello should probably take a cue from Brondello herself. Then the duo pivots to Chicago: they revisit their All-Star mock drafts (closer than you'd think), break down the six-player three-point contest field — and make a case for why Marina Mabrey might have this thing locked up before halftime — and share their picks for All-Star Game MVP. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Levels to This, Sheryl Swoopes and Terrika Foster-Brasby run their own All-Star draft — going pick-by-pick through the full 2026 roster to build their dream squads ahead of All-Star Weekend in Chicago. They break down the snub conversation too, with Kamilla Cardoso, Chelsea Gray, Veronica Burton, and Carla Leite among the names they felt deserved a nod, and weigh in on whether Kelsey Plum will be healthy enough to suit up. The duo also takes a moment to honor the lives of Nolan Wells, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, and Johan Sebastian Guerrero, and to speak plainly about the violence and ICE killings that made for a heavy week before All-Star. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Levels to This, Sheryl Swoopes and Terrika Foster-Brasby break down something that's been building all season: the state of WNBA officiating. From the Angel Reese–Laeticia Amihere foul controversy to GMs going on record saying the refs are as bad as they've ever been. What would accountability for officials actually look like? Then, the sky is falling (again) in Chicago, where Skylar Diggins found out she was coming off the bench and used Instagram to blow her own whistle on being extremely unhappy about the way it went down. Sheryl and Terrika get into the dynamics of coach-player communication when the news isn't good, and what all this reveals about the Sky organization.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Levels to This, Sheryl Swoopes and Terrika Foster-Brasby break down the 2026 WNBA All-Star race heading into Chicago — and the fan voting results already have them raising eyebrows. Aliyah Boston at number one? Surprising. Jackie Young not cracking the top 20? Unacceptable. Terrika shares her full media ballot and the real stress behind it — Natasha Howard vs. Gabby Williams, Allisha Gray vs. Rhyne Howard — while Sheryl puts together her own hypothetical 10-player All-Star team and makes the case for why Jessica Shepard should be in the MVP conversation. They also get into what happens to players like Kelsey Plum and Brittney Sykes when injury collides with All-Star eligibility — and whether the league's position-based voting system has simply run its course. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this rerun of Levels to This, hosts Sheryl Swoopes and Terrika Foster-Brasby are joined by WNBA All-Star and Project B co-founder and Chief Basketball Officer Alana Beard. In light of the arms race between Project B and Unrivaled, Alana breaks down her vision for Project B, a new global, touring basketball league built around player ownership. Tipoff is November 2026—don't miss it! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.