Unfinished Business

I am a big fan of the WNBA. I live in Las Vegas after all, home of the current WNBA World Champions (let’s go Aces)! You could say I hover right about the bullseye in the target audience for “Unfinished Business,” director Alison Klayman‘s focused yet comprehensive documentary about the Women’s National Basketball League. Klayman presents a detailed history of the WNBA and its origins, struggles, and triumphs over the 25 years of its existence. The film follows the 2021 season of one of the league’s original teams, the New York Liberty, interviewing players past and present to create a tapestry of what the WNBA has meant (and will mean) generations of female athletes.

When the league was created in 1997, it soared in popularity. Big-name Olympians like Sheryl Swoopes, Rebecca Lobo, and Lisa Leslie were the early faces of the W (as it is affectionately known by players and fans), and they often played to packed houses. The audience did eventually drop off for many different reasons, but America’s renewed interest in women’s basketball means the WNBA is hoping to grow and flourish. There are still, and have always been, many obstacles in the way. The more things change, the more they (sadly) stay the same.

The documentary touches on all the hot topics when it comes to women’s sports. There’s a discussion about how misogynists love to jump on all-female leagues to mock and criticize. (Just take a look at social media search for WNBA and look at the disgusting, sexist remarks). There’s also talk about the stigma of women’s sports and the perception that all female athletes must be gay. Homophobia, sexism, and racism are all major problems that seem to go hand in hand, and it’s infuriating.

The WNBA has been in the spotlight lately for its radical commitment to sports activism, and the league is filled with social justice warriors who threaten close-minded folks even more. These women use their platform to speak up and speak out about injustices everywhere, embr...