The "bubble" is called it, the training facility in Florida where the entire American basketball season will be played for a few months. The corona virus should be kept away and only staff and athletes allowed into the area. Groceries are ordered online and disinfected before delivery.

You can still not be completely sure and every morning the players take the temperature themselves and then cycle to the hotel in the area where the sampling is done.

- Everyone must test themselves every day, one throat test and one in the nose, says Amanda Zahui B on the phone a few days before the league starts.

Got a bigger role

The Swedish star shares a small house in the bubble with "the two Kias": teammates Kia Nurse and Kiah Stokes. When the delayed season kicks off on Saturday, the 26-year-old center, who is making his sixth WNBA season, is one of the veterans of New York Liberty - from last year's team, only Zahui and one more player remain.

- I have been given a bigger role and more space to help the team win. More focus and more responsibility for scoring points, taking rebounds and playing defense on the best players.

She spent the early summer in Stockholm. There she saw the video that made people around the world demonstrate against racism and police brutality, the video where a police officer in Minneapolis for almost nine minutes presses his knee against the black American George Floyd's neck.

- I have studied black history, both African and American. This is nothing new. More of a feeling that "enough is enough".

Sweden is behind the United States

Amanda Zahui B - B stands for her second surname Bazoukou - participated in a demonstration in Sergels torg and has continued to raise the issue of racism on social media. The Swedish sports world is after countries like the USA, she says.

- We do not talk about it at home. I try to take responsibility, especially in basketball. We have a very wide business, with many blacks and different immigrants playing. The basketball association must do a better job to talk about it and really make sure that everyone feels safe, she says and adds that the round table talks with national team player Danielle Hamilton-Carter that have been started are a very good start.

"It's bullshit"

WNBA has been clear with its support for Black lives matter and it will also be seen in connection with matches during this year's season. New York Liberty wore t-shirts with Black lives matter print as early as 2016, during Zahui's first season at the club, before Colin Kaepernick began his famous knee protest.

- We have incredible leaders in the league who really push for us to get more attention and who try to make sure we use our platforms correctly, says Amanda Zahui B.

The view that sport and politics do not belong together is not something she shares.

- I think it's bullshit. We are human, sport comes second.

Hope to shock people

She has developed tremendously during her five seasons in the WNBA, she states. She is stronger, has become lighter and faster, and above all has built up her self-confidence. Teammates, coaches, family and friends are all involved in the latter.

- They have pushed me even in the seasons when I was not allowed to play. They have made sure I keep my head high.

The last two seasons have been unsuccessful in terms of results for NY Liberty, but this year the team has a lead-heavy reinforcement in Sabrina Ionescu, who has gone from acclaimed college player to the WNBA. Amanda Zahui B believes in the playoffs.

- We go in to win and be fearless. At the same time, they are realistic, the first match is against Seattle, which is one of the best teams and has had the same team for several years. It will be a challenge but we do not intend to let it stop us. We will definitely shock people.

CLIP: Amanda Zahui in tears after police brutality (June 8, 2020)

Javascript is disabled

Javascript must be turned on to play video

Read more about browser support

The browser is not supported

SVT does not support playback in your browser. We therefore recommend that you switch to another browser.

Read more about browser support

CLIP: Amanda Zahui has encountered the coronavirus on several continents (March 26, 2020)

Javascript is disabled

Javascript must be turned on to play video

Read more about browser support

The browser is not supported

SVT does not support playback in your browser. We therefore recommend that you switch to another browser.

Read more about browser support