On February 9th, eleven-year WNBA veteran Renee Montgomery announced her retirement from the league. Previously sitting out the 2020 WNBA season to focus her attention on the social justice movement, Montgomery is moving onto new ventures and making history in the process. From playing for the Atlanta Dream, to becoming a part of the new ownership group, Montgomery is the FIRST former player to become both an owner AND executive of a WNBA team.
Purchasing a home in Georgia nine years ago and retiring as a member of the Atlanta Dream, for Montgomery this decision made sense for many reasons. In a statement released by The Atlanta Dream after her retirement announcement, Montgomery stated, "I've always known I wanted to be here and now I feel intertwined in the Atlanta fabric and culture. Blessed to call this home. True to Atlanta."
There is no doubt that she will be engaged and leaving her mark in the Atlanta fabric and culture in her newest role. Montgomery will serve as the public face of the three-person investment group, which includes Suzanne Abair and Larry Gottesdiener of Northland Investment Corporation. With this purchase it gives the franchise a chance to turn away from controversy with the previous owner and an opportunity to capitalize on the growth of the WNBA. In addition to her stake in ownership, Montgomery will have an executive role with the Atlanta Dream as part of the new brain trust. On a call with reporters on Friday, Montgomery mentioned she would be involved in crafting the Dream’s marketing approach and potentially sponsorships and partnerships as well.
With a tweet from Lebron James that prompted her mind followed by a conversation with the legendary Diana Taurasi at last year’s NBA All-Star weekend, Montgomery turned a new found dream into reality. Renee Montgomery is well on her way to redefine what life after retirement can look like for athletes and breaking barriers as she goes. We love to see it and are excited to witness Montgomery on this new journey!
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