After opting out of the 2020 WNBA season to focus on social activism and justice reform, two-time champion Renee Montgomery announced her retirement Tuesday to continue the fight for equality.
Montgomery played a total of 11 seasons in the WNBA, garnering All-Star honors in 2011 and taking home the Sixth Woman of the Year award in 2012. The No. 4 pick in the ’09 draft spent the ’18 and ’19 seasons with the Atlanta Dream after previously spending time with the Connecticut Sun and the Minnesota Lynx, winning two titles with the ladder in ’15 and ’17. All told, she finishes her career averaging 9.7 points, 1.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 364 games. The 34-year-old now hints at continuing the fight for social justice in her post-career endeavors.
“I don’t know how to feel about this, so this segment is called, ‘Dear Basketball,’ Montgomery said while invoking the spirt of the late Kobe Bryant during her announcement. “I’m sure you can assume why, so I’ve always wondered what like my ‘Dear Basketball’ moment was going to be like. And now that it’s here, I’m a little bit nervous — speechless.
“One moment last year turned into a movement,” she added on Twitter. “The marathon will continue…”