The political power of the WNBA and the Atlanta Dream lies at the heart of Prime Video’s new sports documentary.
Directed by Dawn Porter, Power of the Dream traces how Atlanta’s women’s pro basketball team and the WNBA united against the team’s co-owner, Republican Senator Kelly Loeffler, amid the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020.
Loeffler had repeatedly opposed the BLM movement, scorned the WNBA for its dedication to social justice, and wrote a publicised letter in opposition to the league’s allowance of players wearing shirts with “Black Lives Matter” and “Say Her Name” written on them, the latter raising awareness of Black women including Breonna Taylor, Korryn Gaines, Kayla Moore, Atatiana Jefferson, India Kager, Tanisha Anderson, Michelle Cusseaux, and too many more who have been killed by police.
The Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) called for Loeffler’s ousting and Atlanta Dream players wore “Vote Warnock” shirts before a game, endorsing Democrat Raphael Warnock, who would unseat Loeffler in 2020. Then, in 2021, Loeffler also sold her stake in the Dream and left the WBNA.
A huge lineup of athletes have been interviewed for the documentary, including four-time WNBA champion Sue Bird, retired WNBA star and Olympian Angel McCoughtry, Seattle Storm’s Nneka Ogwumike, Los Angeles Sparks’ Layshia Clarendon, and Chicago Sky’s Elizabeth Williams.
Produced by actor Tracee Ellis Ross alongside Porter, Bird, and Ogwumike, the film also comes from Industrial Media, Trilogy Films, Joy Mill Entertainment, and TOGETHXR (the athlete-founded media company of Bird, Alex Morgan, Chloe Kim, and Simone Manuel). You can watch a first look clip on YouTube.
Power of the Dream is streaming from June 18 on Prime Video.