Renee Montgomery retires from WNBA

Atlanta Dream guard Renee Montgomery reacts to a score against the Washington Mystics during a come back that came up three points short during the second half in a WNBA semifinal playoff game on Sunday, August 26, 2018, in Atlanta. The Mystics beat the Dream 87-84.   Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com

Credit: ccompton@ajc.com

Credit: ccompton@ajc.com

Atlanta Dream guard Renee Montgomery reacts to a score against the Washington Mystics during a come back that came up three points short during the second half in a WNBA semifinal playoff game on Sunday, August 26, 2018, in Atlanta. The Mystics beat the Dream 87-84. Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com

Renee Montgomery announced her retirement from the WNBA after 11 seasons, including the last two with the Atlanta Dream. Montgomery sat out last season to focus her attention on social justice issues but played for the Dream in 2018 and 2019.

Montgomery recently started working on Atlanta Hawks broadcasts.

“I bought a home in Georgia nine years ago and I retired as a member of the Atlanta Dream,” Montgomery said in a statement released by the Dream. “I’ve always known I wanted to be here and now I feel intertwined in the Atlanta fabric and culture. Blessed to call this home. True to Atlanta.”

Most notably with Montgomery, the Dream set a franchise record with 23 regular-season wins and fell one game short of the WNBA Finals in 2018.

Montgomery was the fourth overall pick in 2009 out of Connecticut by Minnesota. She won WNBA championships in 2015 and 2017 with the Lynx. Montgomery also played for Connecticut and Seattle in 364 career games. She finished with 3,534 points and 1,140. Montgomery’s 532 career 3-pointers rank 12th all-time in WNBA history.

“Renee will always have a special place in my heart because she was the very first player to say yes to me as a head coach,” Dream head coach Nicki Collen said in a statement. “Her energy, enthusiasm and leadership helped transform the Dream along with her 3-point shot. She prepared the right way and never cheated the game. It is that same work ethic and enthusiasm that will make her a success in everything she does. She bet on herself in the middle of a pandemic and has thrived. I wish her nothing but success in retirement.”