Sue Wicks on Coming Out in the WNBA, LGBTQ+ Progress, and the Power of the Outsider Experience

Sue Wicks (she/her) is a New York Liberty WNBA All-Star from the league’s inaugural season and a member of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. She is also a trailblazer for LGBTQ+ visibility in sports who became the first active WNBA player to come out publicly in 2002 and was recently inducted into the LGBTQ+ Hall of Fame. In this conversation, she reflects on building a career in women’s basketball before professional opportunities truly existed, playing for years overseas before the formation of the WNBA created a path to return home and compete in the United States. Sue also shares what it meant to come out publicly — an opportunity she welcomed — at a time when visibility carried real personal and professional risk. Along the way, she reflects on growing up feeling like an outsider and how that perspective shaped her views on leadership, gender, and representation in sports. Today, she sees that outsider lens as a strength — one that allows people to see, build, and sustain things others might miss.Sue Wicks is the all-time leading scorer and rebounder in Rutgers women’s basketball history, a former New York Liberty WNBA All-Star who played in the league’s inaugural season, and a Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame inductee. Today, she farms oysters and kelp on Long Island as the founder of Violet Cove Oyster Company, a sustainable aquaculture venture.Shanti Joy Gold is a professional coach, 30-year corporate warrior, and member of the LGBTQIA+ community. She understands the unique challenges faced by those who feel like outsiders and, as an executive coach, guides underrepresented people to confidently thrive in their careers by being fully themselves.👉 Try Shanti’s free Thriving Assessment here to get clarity on where you’re excelling — and where you can increase fulfillment, joy, and impact.Other stories shared by Sue and Shanti at the campfire:Remembering the newspaper clipping about Rutgers winning a women’s championship that convinced her she would play there — even before she’d seen women’s basketball at that level.Admitting that even after decades of success in professional basketball, she still sometimes shrinks herself in certain environments after a lifetime of self-regulation.Reflecting on how her focus later in her career shifted from individual performance to leadership and ambassadorship in women’s sports.Observing that women often develop a unique skillset because they’re constantly asked to unpack and explain their thinking in ways men often aren’t.Explaining why oyster farming became a new chapter after her professional basketball career — and why working on the water feels freeing, with no gender roles.Thank you for listening! Tune in to all episodes for stories and insights on navigating your career as an outsider — and on the impact of allyship. Don’t forget to follow, rate, and review!Learn more about the podcast at storieswehaventshared.com   CONNECT WITH SUE WICKSViolet Cove Oyster Co. InstagramCONNECT WITH SHANTI JOY GOLDLinkedInInstagramPodcast Spotify playlistBook a Free Discovery CallWork with Shanti!