New film explores Renee Montgomery's WNBA career
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Renee Montgomery of the Atlanta Dream has a new documentary out. Photo: Jennifer Pottheiser/NBAE via Getty Images
The Atlanta Dream's Renee Montgomery is ready to share her groundbreaking journey with the world in a documentary slated for release this year.
Why it matters: "A Radical Act: Renee Montgomery" explores how the West Virginian became the first WNBA player to become a WNBA team co-owner and executive.
- The point guard became a sports broadcaster and two-time WNBA Champion after 11 years in the league.
Catch up quick: Montgomery, 37, made national headlines in 2020 by opting out of the league to protest police brutality.
- The racial activism among many WNBA players created friction with then-Sen. Kelly Loeffler, a Trump-allied Georgia Republican who co-owned the Dream and opposed the Black Lives Matter movement.
- In 2021, Loeffler — following pressure of the WNBA player campaign against her — sold the team to a three-person group that includes Montgomery.
- A representative for Loeffler told Axios the sale was voluntary. "After a decade of ownership, Senator Loeffler and Mary Brock voluntarily sold the Atlanta Dream in 2021 to an ownership group led by current majority owner Larry Gottesdiener," Loeffler communications director Caitlin O'Dea said in an email.
The intrigue: Montgomery's film will be the second most recent Dream-related documentary. Another, "The Power of the Dream," debuted on Amazon Prime in June.
Between the lines: Axios spoke with Montgomery during her documentary's July premiere at the Uninterrupted Film Festival in Hollywood to better understand her love for sports and the city of Atlanta, where she found what she affectionately calls her "fairy aunties."
On how her life is different: "Life has changed dramatically," Montgomery says. "And it's hard to say for the better because, being a professional athlete, I loved my life, I loved every day of it. I don't feel like I left anything on the court."
On being an athlete in the ATL: "Atlanta has its own personality. The city is a character, and I love that the city really does love the Dream. So for me, it's being a fan of all things ATL."
- "That means it's the Atlanta Dream, it's the Atlanta Hawks, Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta United, Atlanta Braves. Whoever it is in Atlanta, I'm with it, and I think the city has that style of unity."
- "Atlanta is going to support Atlanta, so when it comes to sports... There might be some complaining, but this is for better or for worse."
On her legacy: "With my foundation, RMF, we give out Last Yard scholarships to HBCU student-athletes or students," Montgomery says. "When you think about Atlanta, and what HBCUs are, both are synonymous with raising a community of ourselves and making sure that we support it ourselves."
- "With the Dream, one of the main things is focusing on young girls. We know that at that teenager age, girls start to stop playing sports. ... The Dream wants to be that point where [we say] ... "This is what sports can do for you.'"
On the impact of the WNBA's growth: "It's been beautiful to watch. This is our wildest dreams as an athlete."
- "You want the world to see the work that you put in as an athlete, and now I think the players are getting that at the highest level. ... The product of the WNBA was never a problem. It was really the exposure and how many people got access to it."
- "I'm a fan of the game, and sometimes, finding games was not easy. You want to make it easily accessible because you get introduced to a larger audience, and I think that's starting to happen now."
On her favorite Atlanta restaurants: "For breakfast, I'm going to Waffle House," Montgomery says while laughing.
- "Lunch, I'm going with JJ Fish & Chicken and for dinner... I think Atlanta Fish Market if I had to because their sushi is A1."
On her favorite summer song: "'Clay Avenue' by my son, Angel. It's not even out yet, but when it comes out it'll be his first thing that he's on, and it's already my favorite."
- "'Not Like Us' is obviously the No. 1 song of the summer, song of the year and song of the cookout. My number two song that I just think is going to take off is Megan Thee Stallion's 'Mamushi,' OK? 'I get money, I'm a star, star, star.'"
How to watch: "A Radical Act" hits the Roku Channel in October.
Editor's note: This story has been corrected to state that Kelly Loeffler sold the Atlanta Dream following a campaign by WNBA players (rather than because of it). It has also been updated to include a statement from a representative for Loeffler.