Renee Montgomery

Renee Montgomery is an American former professional basketball player, sports broadcaster, and activist. She is best known for her 11-year WNBA career, where she won two championships with the Minnesota Lynx, and for becoming the first former WNBA player to become a part-owner and executive of a team, the Atlanta Dream. Montgomery also made history as the first female owner in the Fan Controlled Football league. Off the court, she is a prominent voice for social justice, co-founding initiatives like the Dream for All campaign. As of 2026, she continues to work as a broadcaster for ESPN and the SEC Network, hosts the podcast The Renee Montgomery Show, and runs her own sports management agency, Montgomery Sports Group. Her transition from player to owner and activist has made her a role model for athletes seeking to leverage their platforms for change.[edit]

Montgomery grew up in St. Albans, West Virginia, in a household centered on basketball. Her father, Eric Montgomery, was a coach, and she often attended his practices, absorbing the game's fundamentals. At St. Albans High School, she led the team to two state championships and was named West Virginia's Ms. Basketball in 2004 and 2005. She was also a McDonald's All-American nominee. Her standout performance earned her a scholarship to the University of Connecticut, where she redshirted her freshman year in 2005-2006 before becoming a key player for the Huskies.[edit]

Montgomery's breakthrough came at UConn, where she was a senior co-captain during the undefeated 2008-2009 season, leading the Huskies to a national championship and earning Final Four Most Outstanding Player honors. She was drafted fourth overall by the Minnesota Lynx in 2009. After a trade to the Connecticut Sun in 2010, she became a two-time WNBA All-Star (2012, 2013) and posted a career-high 14.6 points per game in 2013. She returned to the Lynx in 2015 and won her first WNBA championship that year, followed by a second in 2017. After retiring in 2019, Montgomery shifted focus to activism, opting out of the 2020 season to protest racial injustice. In 2021, she joined the ownership group of the Atlanta Dream as vice president and part-owner, a historic first. She expanded her ownership stake in 2022 with the FCF Beasts. Since 2023, she has worked as a broadcaster for ESPN and the SEC Network and launched her podcast. In 2026, she founded Montgomery Sports Group, an agency representing female athletes.[edit]

Montgomery is known for her polished, professional style, often wearing tailored suits for broadcasting appearances. She is consistently portrayed in the media as a trailblazer and activist. Her social media voice blends formal activism messaging with personal, approachable updates. Fans, often called Montgomery Nation or Dreamers, use the hashtag #ReneeMontgomery to show support. On Atlanta Dream game days, some fans wear her UConn jersey as a tribute. Her content focuses on sports, social justice, and business, and she actively engages with her audience.[edit]

Renee Montgomery currently holds no placement in the iFANN Global Top 1,000 or any Top-100 scope list. The iFANN Global Fame Engine has evaluated her profile as of August 2026, confirming she does not yet rank within the published tiers despite her significant footprint in sports and media. This absence of a numeric rank reflects a specific phase where her influence remains deeply concentrated in professional circles rather than generating the broad, viral consumption signals required for a global leaderboard spot.

Her audience lacks a formal collective name. While supporters rally behind her with hashtags like #ReneeMontgomery and display UConn jerseys on game days, there is no documented evidence of an organized fanbase structure, specific rituals, or self-styled groups that function as a unified entity. The public narrative around her focuses less on celebrity folklore and more on her historic transition from player to executive. She became the first former WNBA player to serve as both an owner and an executive when purchasing the Atlanta Dream in 2021. This administrative leap, alongside her two championship rings and her role as a pioneer in Fan Controlled Football, defines her legacy. Fans and observers celebrate these milestones as a shift in league governance, viewing her career not through the lens of viral disruption but as a sustained bridge between elite athletics and business leadership.[edit]

Renee Montgomery retired her jersey number 21 at her high school in 2010 and is a certified yoga instructor who practices meditation daily. A tattoo reading 'Faith' marks her right wrist, serving as a personal anchor throughout her career. In 2024, she expanded her creative portfolio by co-authoring the children's book The Dream That Won't Quit and launching a small cooking series on her YouTube channel.

Beyond the standard facts, her legend is built on record-breaking efficiency and a historic business move. In a standout performance for the Atlanta Dream, she recorded 22 points, 7 assists, and 6 three-pointers, becoming the third-fastest player in WNBA history to reach 100 three-pointers in a single season. Her collegiate dominance at UConn remains a touchstone, where she scored 1,346 points, ranking 10th among all guards in school history. Perhaps most enduring is her status as the trailblazer who broke the glass ceiling of ownership; she was the first former WNBA player to become a part-owner and executive of a team, a feat that redefined what was possible for athletes after retirement.[edit]

Montgomery was born to Eric and Tina Montgomery. Her father worked as a basketball coach, which heavily influenced her early development in the sport. She has one brother, Eric Montgomery Jr. The family lived in St. Albans, West Virginia, where Montgomery attended local schools. As of 2026, she resides in Atlanta, Georgia, and has no children.[edit]

Montgomery played alongside Maya Moore at UConn and with the Minnesota Lynx. She was coached by Geno Auriemma at UConn. Her Lynx teammates included Lindsay Whalen, Seimone Augustus, and Sylvia Fowles. In Atlanta, she played with Angel McCoughtry. She co-owns the Atlanta Dream with Larry Gottesdiener and Suzanne Abair. She has collaborated with journalist Jemele Hill on activism initiatives and considers Dawn Staley a mentor.[edit]

Montgomery has kept her romantic life private throughout her career. No credible reports of relationships during her WNBA playing days (2009-2019) have been confirmed. Since retiring, she has not publicly dated anyone. As of 2026, she is reportedly single and focused on her career and activism. She has no known children.[edit]

iFANN currently estimates Renee Montgomery's net worth at $6 million as of 2026. This figure stems from her 11-year WNBA playing career, where she earned approximately $321,000 in salary across nine seasons, and her subsequent pivot into media and ownership. Her wealth grew significantly after she became co-owner and Vice President of the Atlanta Dream in 2021, marking the first time a former player held both roles simultaneously. Beyond basketball, she generates substantial income as a sports analyst and commentator for ESPN and the SEC Network, while also hosting The Renee Montgomery Show and managing her own sports agency. Her two WNBA championships and high-profile activism further cement her brand value, creating a diverse revenue stream that extends well beyond the court.[edit]

Montgomery won two WNBA championships with the Minnesota Lynx (2015, 2017) and an NCAA national championship with UConn (2009). She was named Final Four Most Outstanding Player in 2009 and earned First-Team All-American honors that year. She was a two-time WNBA All-Star (2012, 2013). Off the court, she received the BET Social Impact Award (2023) and the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Athlete (Activism) (2024).[edit]