WNBA players celebrate Raphael Warnock’s projected win over Atlanta Dream co-owner Kelly Loeffler

Some WNBA gamers celebrated on Wednesday after Democrat Raphael Warnock was projected to defeat incumbent Republican Senator Kelly Loeffler in a crucial Senate runoff election in Georgia. WNBA gamers campaigned for Warnock after Loeffler, the co-owner of the WNBA workforce the Atlanta Dream, criticized the league’s help for the Black Lives Matter motion. 

“Awoke and simply smiled remembering that one time Kelly Loeffler tried to come back for the W and we helped @ReverendWarnock take her senate seat,” New York Liberty participant Layshia Clarendon tweeted Wednesday. “Successful by no means felt so rattling good.”

“Not solely is Raphael Warnock Georgia’s first black senator, but in addition the primary Black democratic senator EVER elected within the south,” wrote Phoenix Mercury forward Brianna Turner. “50 years in the past that was unimaginable. I ponder the place the south might be 50 years from at present.”

The WNBA and the Atlanta Dream made headlines with their league-wide help of Black Lives Matter throughout the summer time with BLM warm-ups and jerseys, an announcement Loeffler rejected in June and requested WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert to finish. 

In an announcement deriding the protest in August, Loeffler known as the gamers’ shirts an indication of cancel tradition. “That is simply extra proof that the uncontrolled cancel tradition needs to close out anybody who disagrees with them,” she mentioned. “It is clear that the league is extra involved with taking part in politics than basketball, and I stand by what I wrote in June.”

In response, the Atlanta Dream and different excessive rating members of the WNBA endorsed Reverend Warnock, going as far as to put on “Vote Warnock” shirts at their video games. 

Atlanta Dream ahead Elizabeth Williams told The New York Times that the thought for the shirts got here from WNBA Seattle Storm legend Sue Chicken. Chicken, who shared a photograph of herself within the Warnock t-shirt on Wednesday, told Deadspin final month that the gamers selected to not assault Loeffler and to help Warnock as a substitute. 

“We discovered this voice we’ve collectively is fairly highly effective,” Chicken informed the sports activities outlet. “The scale of our league permits for this, we’ve about 144 gamers within the league, however we have needed to undergo our careers preventing for issues… So we have developed this spine and we have discovered to struggle for ourselves. And now we’re lending that struggle to others.”

The Instances additionally reported that the thought was mentioned and authorized by Stacey Abrams, who holds an advisory place to the WNBA Gamers Affiliation’s board. Solely two days after gamers wore the shirts, the marketing campaign raised greater than $185,000 on-line, added 3,500 grassroots donors and grew Warnock’s Twitter account by almost 3,500 followers, a marketing campaign official informed CBS Information. 

Gamers maintained their activism within the months that adopted, serving as ballot employees and shining a lightweight on racial justice causes within the months main as much as Election Day. Dream participant Renee Montgomery opted out of final season fully to struggle for social justice reform and voter advocacy in Georgia. Some Dream gamers narrated a “More Than A Vote” ad launched Monday that known as for individuals to vote within the Georgia runoff races. Within the video, Williams known as on her followers to vote for Warnock and Jon Ossoff, the opposite Democrat working for a Senate seat. 

Warnock is poised to be the primary Black senator in Georgia historical past. Exit ballot knowledge reveals he received 92% of the state’s Black vote.   

“We had been informed that we could not win this election,” Warnock mentioned whereas addressing supporters Wednesday. “However tonight we proved with hope, exhausting work and the individuals by our aspect, something is feasible. Could my story be an inspiration to some younger one that is attempting to know and seize maintain of the American dream.”

Whereas the WNBA’s protest additionally known as for Loeffler’s elimination, neither she nor co-owner Mary Brock have mentioned the Dream is on the market. Nevertheless, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James put his hat within the ring as a possible purchaser, suggesting on Twitter that he needs to “put collectively an possession group” to buy the workforce. James, who leads Extra Than a Vote, additionally mentioned he was “proud” of what he noticed from Georgia voters on Tuesday. 

“I am pleased with my individuals for getting on the market and doing what they do greatest,” James told reporters. “And that is being heard and being seen and being highly effective and being engaged.”