Atlanta Dream

The sale of the WNBA's Atlanta Dream may be close on the horizon, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Chris Vivlamore.

Vivlamore reported Tuesday co-owners Kelly Loeffler and Mary Brock "are on the verge" of giving up their stake in the franchise. A WNBA spokesperson confirmed the development: "As it relates to the Atlanta Dream, we understand a sale of the franchise is close to being finalized. Once the sale negotiation is concluded, additional information will be provided."

The Dream would be the second franchise to change hands in recent days. MGM Resorts sold the Las Vegas Aces to Mark Davis, owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, last Thursday.

Calls for Loeffler to at least divest herself from her ownership stake grew over the summer.

In July, she wrote a letter to WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert criticizing the league's decision to publicly support the Black Lives Matter movement, per ESPN:

"I adamantly oppose the Black Lives Matter political movement, which has advocated for the defunding of police, called for the removal of Jesus from churches and the disruption of the nuclear family structure, harbored anti-Semitic views, and promoted violence and destruction across the country. I believe it is totally misaligned with the values and goals of the WNBA and the Atlanta Dream, where we support tolerance and inclusion."

The previous month, Loeffler equated the ongoing nationwide protests against police brutality and systemic racism to "mob rule":

The WNBA responded with a statement saying Loeffler "has not served as a Governor of the Atlanta Dream since October 2019 and is no longer involved in the day-to-day business of the team." Still, she's officially recognized as one half of Dream Too LLC, the group that collectively owns the Dream.

The ire toward Loeffler grew beyond just calls to remove her as a co-owner.

WNBA players publicly endorsed Raphael Warnock, who was among the candidates running against Loeffler for one of Georgia's two U.S. Senate seats, ahead of November's general election. The players regularly wore black shirts that read "Vote Warnock" before and after games during the 2020 season.

The visibility Warnock gained from the movement played a not insignificant role in him forcing a runoff against Loeffler and eventually beating her in a head-to-head race.

As it became clear Loeffler would lose her Senate seat, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James said he'd be interested in leading a group to buy the Dream:

Per Vivlamore, the identity of the person or people who submitted a bid for the Dream is unknown, and it's unclear at this point whether new ownership is looking to keep the franchise in Atlanta.

Atlanta Dream forward Elizabeth Williams said the team's players felt it was important to stand up against Dream co-owner Kelly Loeffler during her reelection campaign after she spoke out against the Black Lives Matter movement. 

Williams discussed the players' efforts and support of Democratic candidate Rev. Raphael Warnock, who defeated Loeffler in Tuesday's run-off election, with Bleacher Report's Arielle Chambers:

In August, Williams said the Dream decided to wear "Vote Warnock" shirts after Loeffler failed to support the Black Lives Matter movement.

"When we realized what our owner was doing and how she was kind of using us and the Black Lives Matter movement for her political gain, we felt like we didn't want to feel kind of lost as the pawns in this," Williams told reporters.

Other WNBA players joined in the Dream's work to get Warnock elected:

Williams also told Chambers the players in the league intend to continue their social justice work and she hopes fans will get involved: "We like doing the work, and we're gonna continue to do the work, but we don't wanna do it alone. ... Hopefully one thing that people can take is that they can do something on their own as well."

In wake of Loeffler's loss, NBA superstar LeBron James suggested he would try to put together an ownership group in an effort to acquire the Atlanta franchise:

The former Georgia Senator hasn't given any indication she's willing to sell her stake in the team, however, and the WNBA won't force her to sell, per ESPN's Mechelle Voepel. Mary Brock is the Dream's co-owner.

Atlanta posted a 7-15 record during the 2020 season. Details about the 2021 campaign haven't been released.

LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony have yet to play on the same NBA team, but they could be joining forces to guide a WNBA franchise.

Following Kelly Loeffler's loss to Raphael Warnock in the runoff elections for Georgia's Senate seats, James teased a possible ownership pursuit of the Atlanta Dream. Anthony responded Thursday to say he'd be on board:

Loeffler drew scorn from many players in the WNBA due to her support for President Donald Trump and criticism of the Black Lives Matter movement. Well ahead of the general elections, players began publicly supporting Warnock and drawing attention to his race against Loeffler.

According to the Washington Post's Angele Delevoye, that played a not-insignificant role in Warnock garnering enough votes to force a runoff.

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in July the league wouldn't force Loeffler to relinquish or sell her ownership stake in the Dream. Engelbert also issued a statement saying Loeffler "has not served as a Governor of the Atlanta Dream since October 2019 and is no longer involved in the day-to-day business of the team."

Should the WNBA reverse course, it doesn't look like it will lack suitors to assume control of the Dream from the current ownership.

Atlanta Dream co-owner Kelly Loeffler, who is also a United States senator from Georgia, is once again using her platform to criticize Black Lives Matter and players on the team, this time for their refusal to play this week in protest after the shooting of Jacob Blake by police officers in Kenosha, Wisconsin on Aug. 23. 

Per Greg Bluestein of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Loeffler addressed the WNBA protest after a political rally in Cobb County.  

"I tend to believe that walking away from problems and walking away from a dialogue is not the right approach," she said. "Walking away from that moment prevents us from having those important dialogues."

Loeffler also criticized Black Lives Matter as a movement about "defunding the police and radically changing America." 

"I don't think they have a place in sports," she added. "Sports need to be about unity and bringing us together.”

As part of the WNBA's return-to-play agreement with players in July, Black Lives Matter has been displayed on the court during games at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. 

Loeffler voiced her displeasure about that decision in a letter written to WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert, via ESPN.com:

"I adamantly oppose the Black Lives Matter political movement, which has advocated for the defunding of police, called for the removal of Jesus from churches and the disruption of the nuclear family structure, harbored anti-Semitic views, and promoted violence and destruction across the country. I believe it is totally misaligned with the values and goals of the WNBA and the Atlanta Dream, where we support tolerance and inclusion."

The letter also said putting the American flag on player jerseys would be a "common-sense" solution. 

Loeffler's letter caused a rift between her and players in the league. The Dream released a statement July 10 on Twitter signed by all 13 of their players:    

On Aug. 4, players across the WNBA wore "Vote Warnock" T-shirts in reference to Loeffler's opponent, Rev. Raphael Warnock, for the U.S. Senate seat in the 2020 election:

Despite pushback from Dream players and throughout the WNBA, Loeffler has stated she doesn't intend to sell her stake in the organization. 

The Atlanta Dream are preparing to play without their leading scorer for nearly two weeks after rookie guard Chennedy Carter injured her left ankle Monday. 

In an update on Carter's status Tuesday, the Dream say they ran "numerous" tests on her ankle and expect that she'll be able to return to the floor in the near future. The Texas A&M product was drafted No. 4 overall in April and has made an immediate impact in Atlanta. 

Through eight games this season, Carter, 21, is averaging the seventh-most points per game (17 points) in the WNBA with a field-goal percentage of 44.9 to go with 3.9 assists and 2.4 rebounds per night. The quick start made her an early candidate for Rookie of the Year despite Atlanta going 2-6 (11th place) to begin the year. 

Monday's injury in a 93-82 loss to the Connecticut Sun came just days after Carter sank 35 points against Seattle, becoming the youngest player to score 30-plus points in WNBA history. 

Carter is the second high-profile rookie sidelined by an ankle injury following No. 1 overall pick Sabrina Ionescu's Grade 3 sprain against the Dream on August 1.  

Atlanta Dream star Renee Montgomery responded to comments by Sen. Kelly Loeffler, who co-owns the team and said the WNBA's public support of social justice causes will turn fans away.

"I think a lot of people feel that they may not have a place," Loeffler said, per ESPN's Ramona Shelburne. "They may feel excluded from this sport and other sports that make them feel like American values aren't at the core of what we're doing here."

Montgomery, who is sitting out the upcoming WNBA season to focus on social justice, spoke to TMZ Sports about Loeffler's comments.

"If it's gonna bother a fan that much that a player wants to promote equality, that a player wants to promote the movement, then maybe [those fans] shouldn’t watch it," she said. "She's saying they're gonna lose fans but I think a lot of people will be welcoming to the idea of inclusion." 

Washington Mystics star Natasha Cloud echoed the sentiment:

Loeffler told Shelburne she doesn't intend to sell the Dream amid a number of current and former players calling for the WNBA to remove her as a co-owner given her criticism of the Black Lives Matter movement. 

Commissioner Cathy Engelbert issued a statement saying Loeffler isn't involved in any day-to-day business with the Dream. Engelbert also said on CNN the league won't force her to sell her ownership stake:

The WNBA announced on July 6 the 2020 season was "dedicated to social justice," with Americans across the country protesting against systemic racism and social inequality.

Among the ways to raise awareness, the league will display the phrase "Black Lives Matter" on the court during games. Players will wear the names of girls and women who were victims of police brutality and racial violence.

Loeffler wrote a letter to Engelbert to voice her opposition to the approach, saying "we need less—not more politics in sports." She also advocated for the inclusion of the American flag on all league apparel.

In an open letter to Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler published Friday on Medium, Atlanta Dream guard Renee Montgomery offered to engage the Republican incumbent and Dream co-owner in a conversation on racial justice following the senator's remarks in opposition to the Black Lives Matter movement. 

"I kindly invite you to rethink your stance and join a discussion with me," Montgomery wrote, referencing Loeffler's re-election campaign.  "While you might very well be on the 'right' side of this November's elections, you are on the wrong side of history if you can't see that Black Lives Matter."

Loeffler recently wrote WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert to express disagreement with the league's decision to include the phrases "Black Lives Matter" and "Say Her Name" on warm-up apparel, instead arguing the league should more prominently display the American flag. 

Multiple current and former WNBA players have called for the league to remove Loeffler from the Dream's ownership team, pointing to instances where the senator's statements have opposed the values of inclusion and equality the WNBA embraces. 

In response, the WNBA attempted to distance itself from Loeffler, noting she has not represented the Dream in the league's board of governors since Oct. 2019 and is no longer involved in the day-to-day operations of the team.

Montgomery's letter comes after the 10-year veteran announced her intent to sit out the upcoming season to continue working towards social justice reform. 

The two-time WNBA champion denounced Loeffler's suggestion that sports and politics shouldn't mix, writing that Jackie Robinson, Tommie Smith, John Carlos, Muhammed Ali and LeBron James are more than the sports they play:

"Your comments hurt deeply because it was a veiled 'All Lives Matter' response. It's not that you're tone deaf to the cry for justice, but you seemingly oppose it. And you are speaking from a position of immense influence as a team co-owner in our league and as a US Senator.

"When Black Lives Matter started, the founders never thought that they would have to add the word 'too' at the end of it: Black Lives Matter Too. We just assumed that people would understand that we matter also. Is that too big of an ask?

"... I know you have a tough upcoming election in November and must appeal to your base. I get it, I do. But to say sports shouldn't mingle with politics denies our past."

Loeffler has yet to publicly respond to Montgomery's offer.  

Atlanta Dream co-owner and Georgia's Republican Senator Kelly Loeffler came under fire Tuesday after a controversial letter she wrote to WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, per ESPN, decrying the league's decision to put "Black Lives Matter" on the court for games.

So former NBA player Baron Davis offered to buy her stake in the team:

In Loeffler's letter to Engelbert she made a number of unsubstantiated claims against the Black Lives Matter movement:

"I adamantly oppose the Black Lives Matter political movement, which has advocated for the defunding of police, called for the removal of Jesus from churches and the disruption of the nuclear family structure, harbored anti-Semitic views, and promoted violence and destruction across the country. I believe it is totally misaligned with the values and goals of the WNBA and the Atlanta Dream, where we support tolerance and inclusion."

Loeffler instead wanted to see WNBA teams put the American flag on their uniforms. Her comments were met with instant backlash from current and former WNBA players:

"There's no place [for Loeffler] in the WNBA, a league that is the majority minority," Los Angeles Sparks star Candace Parker said on TNT Tuesday, per Madeline Kenney of the Chicago Sun-Times. "We've had a number of people that have stepped forward and listened and have taken initiative and taken action and we've had those that haven't and continue to make comments and show why we're still in this situation."

In a statement, the WNBA said Loeffler was no longer actively involved in the daily management of the Dream.

"The WNBA is based on the principle of equal and fair treatment of all people and we, along with the teams and players, will continue to use our platforms to vigorously advocate for social justice," Engelbert said. "Sen. Kelly Loeffler has not served as a Governor of the Atlanta Dream since October 2019 and is no longer involved in the day-to-day business of the team."

The WNBA and its players also agreed to honor women such as Sandra Bland, Breonna Taylor and Vanessa Guillen when play resumes later in July.

Current and former WNBA players have called on the league to oust Sen. Kelly Loeffler from her role as a co-owner of the Atlanta Dream. 

Referencing the ongoing protests against police brutality, systemic racism and social inequality, Loeffler shared a clip from her appearance on Fox News last month and said, "We must not allow mob rule."

Loeffler also criticized the WNBA's decision to let players wear special apparel drawing attention to "the forgotten victims of police brutality and racial violence."

"The truth is, we need less—not more politics in sports," Loeffler said, per the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Greg Bluestein and Bria Felicien. "In a time when polarizing politics is as divisive as ever, sports has the power to be a unifying antidote. And now more than ever, we should be united in our goal to remove politics from sports."

As a result, she's receiving significant criticism from around the league:

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert issued a statement on the matter, noting Loeffler is "no longer involved in the day-to-day business of the team":

Hall of Famer Alex English, who's also on the board of advocates for the Women's National Basketball Players Association, tweeted that Loeffler has "Donald Sterling vibes."

The NBA banned Sterling, who was the owner of the Los Angeles Clippers at the time, for life in April 2014 after recordings surfaced in which he had made a series of racist comments.

Loeffler purchased a minority stake in the Dream in 2010.

Atlanta Dream star Tiffany Hayes became the most recent WNBA player to announce she will sit out the 2020 season.

Hayes announced her decision Tuesday on Instagram:

"This was not an easy decision but I believe it is in my best interest with everything that is going on right now. Although I love playing this game, I believe there are much more important things to be thinking about in this moment. Many will not agree with my decision but I know in my heart it's the right one."

The reigning WNBA champion Washington Mystics announced Monday they'll be without Natasha Cloud and LaToya Sanders, while Renee Montgomery, Hayes' teammate on the Dream, ruled herself out last week.

Atlanta finished with the worst record in the league (8-26) last season but had a busy offseason, adding veterans Glory Johnson, Courtney Williams, Shekinna Stricklen and Kalani Brown. The Dream also selected dynamic Texas A&M guard Chennedy Carter with the fourth pick in the 2020 draft.

However, the team will be without its top three scorers from 2019 in Hayes, Montgomery and Brittney Sykes. Atlanta packaged Sykes with Marie Gulich to land Brown, who was the No. 7 pick in 2019.

Perhaps more important than the points they scored, the trio of Hayes, Montgomery and Sykes combined to average 7.5 assists per game. Neither Williams nor Carter is a pure facilitator, leaving a void in Atlanta's backcourt.

Williams averaged 13.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game and was a big reason the Connecticut Sun reached the 2019 WNBA Finals. The 26-year-old can be a streaky scorer, though, which isn't ideal with Carter likely to assume a larger role in the offense.

The former Aggies star averaged 22.5 points per contest while shooting 43.1 percent from the field and 34.6 percent from beyond the arc. Her performance in the 2019 Sweet 16 against Notre Dame epitomized her game as she poured in 35 points but needed 34 shots to get there.

At its best, the Dream's offense has the potential to be electric. But the absences of Hayes and Montgomery will raise questions about how consistent Atlanta can be on that end.