Players in the WNBA were an important reason for Georgia electing its first ever black Senator. The players used their platform to help bring Rev. Raphael Warnock from being a candidate polling at 9% to the Democratic candidate in one of the two Georgia runoff elections, and eventually to the United States Senate.
The WNBA has been very vocal in its support of social justice movements. Over the summer, the WNBA announced that it would dedicate its 2020-21 season to social justice. The league partnered with the WNBA players association to create the Social Justice Council. As written on the WNBA website, “The mission of the Social Justice Council is to be a driving force of necessary and continuing conversations about race, voting rights, LGBTQ+ advocacy, and gun control amongst other important societal issues.”
The WNBA has been especially involved with the Black Lives Matter movement. Players are wearing uniforms with Breonna Taylor’s name on them. Warm-up shirts for the players have “Black Lives Matter” printed on them, as well as “Say Her Name.” Players have also spoken at games and to the media about their support for Black Lives Matter.
A critic of the support for Black Lives Matter within the WNBA is the owner of the WNBA team Atlanta Dream and former opponent of Rev. Rafael Warnock in the Georgia Senate race, Kelly Loeffler. Loeffler has publicly denounced Black Lives Matter in a letter to the league’s commissioner. In the letter, she describes Black Lives Latter as a “very divisive organization” that promotes “violence and destruction across the country.”
This criticism of Black Lives Matter has caused many WNBA players, specifically players on the Atlanta Dream, to protest Loeffler. The WNBA players association tweeted “E-N-O-U-G-H! O-U-T!” in response to Loeffler criticizing the WNBA’s support for Black Lives Matter. Renee Montgomery, a guard for the Atlanta Dream made a statement that she was disappointed in her team’s ownership, and that was a reason she decided to sit out for the year. On July 10, the players on the team responded to Loeffler with a statement that said, “We are the women of the Atlanta Dream. We are women who support a movement. We are strong and we are fearless. We offer a voice to the voiceless. Our team is united in the Movement for Black Lives. It is not extreme to demand change after centuries of inequality. This is not a political statement. This is a statement of humanity. Black Lives Matter.”
No one knows what is in store for Loeffler and the Atlanta Dream. Although in the past Loeffler has said she does not intend to sell the team, this may not still be the case. It is difficult to think of reasons why Loeffler would like to remain the owner of a team whose players had such a pivotal role in taking her out of office.
Lebron James has expressed interest in buying the Atlanta Dream. He wrote on twitter, “Think I’m gone put together an ownership group for The Dream. Whose in? #BlackVotesMatter”. While this is only a possibility, it would be beneficial to both the Atlanta Dream and the entire WNBA.
