Leslie. Swoopes. Bird. Taurasi. Griner. No first name is needed. These WNBA legends have become household names. But it wasn’t always like this. Twenty-eight years ago, professional female basketball players in the United States were unheard of, until the WNBA was formed in 1997. Thanks to the new documentary Unfinished Business, fans can get an in-depth look at the league’s inception while following the New York Liberty’s rollercoaster 2021 season.
Origin Story
In 1996, in front of a home crowd in Atlanta, Georgia, the United States Women’s National Basketball Team won their third Olympic gold medal. And what a feat for a country that hadn’t had a women’s basketball league since the WBL folded in 1981. Unfinished Business starts the WNBA’s journey here. That gold in Atlanta was the catalyst for creating a professional women’s basketball league in the U.S. that lasted.
Initially, the league formed around three players. Eventually, three players grew into eight teams. One of which was the New York Liberty. And it’s here that the documentary begins to weave its story together. Viewers jump back and forth between the history of the WNBA and the 2021 New York Liberty’s tumultuous season. At first, it might seem difficult to follow. Where do the dots connect? Then the picture becomes clearer. The Liberty’s 2021 season all but mirrors the ups and downs of the WNBA’s history.
And what’s an origin story without storytellers? Needless to say, Unfinished Business has a stacked roster. Old-school legends like Teresa Weatherspoon, Rebecca Lobo, and Sue Wicks recount their time as pros while soon-to-be icons Betnijah Laney, Sabrina Ionescu, and Didi Richards tell their stories. We’re even treated to a few clips of Joan Jett herself talking about her time as a fan. That makes perfect sense since the documentary is named after a song she wrote for the Liberty.
Playing For Our Team
It would be foolish to talk anything women’s sports without mentioning the power and influence of lesbians. Basketball is no exception. And this documentary doesn’t forget about us. Though the networks and higher-ups of the league itself certainly wanted to. Unaware of how to market to lesbians, they did everything they could to deny our existence. And they failed. Whether they wanted to admit it or not, lesbian fans have always been the backbone of WNBA supporters.
There’s a rainbow ocean in the stands for a reason: to support the women playing on their team. Lesbians in the WNBA was something of an open secret during the league’s early years. As long as they weren’t acknowledged, they didn’t exist. How foolish to assume lesbians would accept this. As an absolute treat to lesbian fans, the documentary offers insights and commentary from the first only gay player in the WNBA, Sue Wicks.
Fast forward over two decades later. Brittney Griner does the unthinkable. She comes out during her drafting. Many players worry about whether coming out might negatively affect their careers, but Griner came out before she was even signed onto a team. She’s since become one of the most dominant and influential players in the league both on and off the court. The documentary explores the impact of BG’s coming out on players and fans alike.
Unfinished Business
This documentary aims to give fans a look into the formation of the WNBA. And it does just that. Casual fans will be treated to new information and a closer look at the inner workings of the league. Meanwhile, more hardcore fans can bask in nostalgia. Intertwining the New York Liberty’s wild 2021 season reminds viewers that the WNBA is still here and still worth watching because well… There is unfinished business. Between better pay so players don’t have to play overseas, the WNBA’s commitment to social justice, and the Liberty’s insatiable thirst for that elusive championship there’s still a lot of work to do.
Unfinished Business is now streaming on Amazon Prime, just in time for the opening of the 2023 WNBA season.
