Washington Mystics forward Erica McCall will be releasing a reboot of her podcast “Bird’s Eye View” Tuesday at 9 a.m. on Apple, Spotify and YouTube in an effort to inform women’s basketball fans about life for players playing overseas. McCall’s sister, Connecticut Sun superstar DeWanna Bonner, and another WNBA player in Stephanie Mavunga are two of the guests who will appear during the nine-episode season and the first episode will feature McCall’s Mystic teammate Sydney Wiese.
Here is a preview of the interview with Wiese:
McCall, who starred for Stanford’s 2017 Final Four team and has played for KSC Szekszard in Hungary in addition to her time in the WNBA, will also be talking about juggling motherhood as a pro athlete, navigating relationships on and off the court, rookie experiences, college experiences and general pop culture opinions on the show, which is part of The DC Crossover Podcast Network.
“I hope people can fully understand all aspects of the overseas life,” McCall said of the podcast’s aim. “I think many people believe it’s all about basketball and it’s so much more than that. It’s a whole new journey that we as athletes must endure each season. New languages, foods, cultures and more. Everyone will have a different story but collectively we all are basketball players adapting to a new world.”
She added that her “overseas experience has been nothing but a blessing,” saying, “I have played four years in Hungary and I feel as though my time there has truly allowed me the ability to illustrate so many aspects of the overseas experience. While playing in Hungary I have gone through many ups and downs, times of amazement and disappointment, and times of energy and fatigue. I am sharing the real stories that most people don’t have the opportunity to hear. This podcast will give the full scope of what it’s like to play overseas and I can’t wait to share it with others.”
Bonner is of course a WNBA legend. She was named to the All-WNBA First Team in 2015 and was third in the league in scoring in last year’s wubble en route to a Second Team selection. She is also a three-time Sixth Woman of the Year, a one-time All-Defensive selection and a four-time All-Star, including an appearance in this year’s All-Star Game representing the eventual No. 1 seed Sun, who look forward to continuing their championship push when their semifinal series begins next Tuesday. Bonner has already won two championships as a member of the Phoenix Mercury.
“When I decided I was going to create this podcast I knew right away my sister had to be a guest!” McCall said. “She’s just so successful with any team she plays on whether that is in the states or overseas. She’s one of the biggest stars in the basketball world today and of course my biggest role model, so it was no hesitation for me to have her on an episode. She inspires me on and off the court, especially in her role as a mother. The fact that after she birthed twins her stats consistently continue to improve is unreal to me. A true superhero.”
McCall is also excited about bringing on Mavunga, who was the first Zimbabwean-born player drafted into the WNBA.
“Stephanie is a great friend I’ve known for years and is full of fun and adventure,” McCall said. “She also really thrives in a certain area outside of basketball that has been influenced by her overseas experience. Much of the episode will focus on this special talent and how overseas has expanded the way she uses this skill. Overall Steph will provide great stories about her time being overseas. This will definitely be a fun episode.”
Check out the podcast!