Women’s basketball is continuing to grow as more records are being broken and new faces joining the league. With that momentum, the stories and narratives told off the court are just as important as those that are told on it.
‘Shattered Glass: A WNBPA Story’ is a recently released documentary on Tubi that takes a deep dive into the lives of some of the WNBA’s biggest superstars and vocal leaders. The film is produced by Malka Media and directed by former college athlete Andrea Buccilla.
The 75-minute documentary follows three current WNBA players: the New York Liberty’s Brenna Stewart and Jonquel Jones and the Seattle Storm’s Nneka Ogwumike. While each of these players has numerous accomplishments and accolades to their names, from multiple All-Star appearances to WNBA championships and MVPs, their lives and stories off the court balancing sports and family are just as meaningful.
Humanizing Professional Athletes
Stewart, Jones and Ogwumike embody a different representation of a female professional athlete, showing the audience that regardless of stats, they are all human beings. Stewart, a wife and mother, had to balance many responsibilities while moving from Seattle to New York last offseason. Ogwumike is a sister, daughter and leader of the league, and was often the one that teammates went to for support after cuts were made. Jones is a fiancée, dog mom and also represents the epitome that hard work can make dreams come true, having grown up in the Bahamas and creating hoops from milk crates to play basketball.
Some of the best parts of the film detail behind-the-scenes moments and look into the intimate lives of the players, from heartwarming times with families to also going back to their humble beginnings and roots. Cameos from their parents, grandparents and childhood and high school basketball coaches add another dimension. There is also a personal perspective to the film, where viewers get to see humorous moments and activities in daily life that make the superstar players more relatable.
The Impact of the CBA
The documentary also looks into the WNBA Players Association (WNBPA), of which Ogwumike has been the president since 2016. The WNBPA became the first trade union for female professional athletes in 1998, and the documentary features many of the union leader’s stories, including moments of conference room talks discussing the future of the league.
There are many discussions to come in 2024 of whether the WNBPA chooses to opt out of the current collective bargaining agreement (CBA) this November. The main goal of the union is to protect and support current players, and much of this is also fighting for their fair share and what they deserve to earn as professional athletes.
The 2020 collective bargaining agreement was a big win for the league, resulting in increased salaries and benefits including maternity and childcare, with a new agreement negotiated every four years. Stewart has made her stance clear in wanting a new agreement, which could include pensions for retired players, benefits for working moms, salary increases and chartered flights. Many players have to play overseas during the offseason to supplement the salary they receive during the WNBA season, making sacrifices for their families and their bodies.
While the CBA prioritizes current players, many of the league leaders also recognize the sacrifice of retired players. One of these players is three-time Olympic gold medalist, four-time WNBA champion and Naismith Hall of Famer Sheryl Swoopes. Swoopes was the first-ever player to sign with the league and was a member of the Houston Comets dynasty. Swoopes was an incredible addition to this documentary, as she served as a prime example to show how the league has grown.
The WNBA’s inception in 1997 created massive excitement with sold-out arenas. Then came a period of stagnation for the league in the mid-2000s with ineffective marketing techniques. Flash forward to today where the WNBA is roaring back with records being broken in attendance, television viewership, merch sales and overall general discourse about the league and its players.
An Inside Look at a Historic Season
The documentary is successful in its time jumps and progression, which makes it easy to follow. It includes many behind-the-scenes moments from practices and talking basketball to highlights from previous WNBA seasons. It also tracks Jones and Stewart and the Liberty’s historic 2023 season from the trades made in January, ushering in the new era of “superteams” to the franchise’s first Finals appearance since 2002 in October. While the highlights of the Libert’s Game 4 loss to the Las Vegas Aces were shown, Jones and Stewart’s reactions and eagerness to get back to that point and win for the city were also evident.
The Future is Here
While this may be a documentary about basketball, it is about even more. The hype and excitement about women’s sports is at an all-time high and now is the time to capitalize on that. Marketing the league is a major part of this, and more female players should be finding themselves as faces of campaigns with more major networks covering the league during and in the offseason. Connecting players with fans and communities is the key to continue making the league marketable.
‘Shattered Glass: A WNBPA Story’ ends with a call to action to viewers. The WNBA and women’s sports are here to stay; while women’s sports continue to shatter ceilings, the work is not over. Keep watching, keep consuming and keep supporting. The stories of professional female athletes and the work they continue to do to build not only their legacies, but the legacy of the league will continue to shine.