Michele Roberts grew up watching the NBA on her TV, but she never imagined she would one day be a trailblazing executive for the league. After Michele was named executive director of the NBA Players' Association (NBPA), she became the first woman to hold this position, and the first woman to lead a major sports union in North America.

The recently-retired Roberts has been a beacon for the league's star players, guiding them through a near-lockdown, a global pandemic and a full-blown strike in response to racial injustice. All the while, she's broken down barriers for Black women in sports. In this week's episode, she and Jay Williams discuss her journey from the Bronx to the big leagues, the stereotypes she's faced long the way, and her admiration for other Black women trailblazers like Ketanji Brown Jackson.

For sponsor-free episodes, weekly bonus content, and more, subscribe to The Limits Plus at plus.npr.org/thelimits. On this week's Plus episode, Jay talks to Michele about other NBA issues like Brittney Griner's detainment in Russia.

Follow Jay on Instagram and Twitter. Email us at [email protected].

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy