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The WNBA has seen unprecedented growth and attention over the past few seasons.
New York Liberty guard Natasha Cloud reflected on how players wielded the league’s growing influence, particularly during the 2020 season. That year marked the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, while incidents of police brutality sparked protests for social justice and equality across the United States, bringing to the forefront the height of the Black movement Lives Matter.
That summer, in Florida’s bio-secure bubble, WNBA players used their platforms for activism. Cloud was among those who spoke out.
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New York Liberty guard Natasha Cloud during a game against the Golden State Valkyries at the Barclays Center on May 29, 2025, in Brooklyn, NY (John Jones/Imagn Images)
She credited WNBA players with being leading voices and helping to preserve democracy in America at a pivotal moment.
“I just wish during this time we had a little more voice from our league because there was a moment where we saved democracy in 2020, and no one wants to give us that. But you were one of the people responsible for that and you did it in a very loud and harsh way, but in a very subtle and graceful way,” Cloud said during a recent appearance on “A Touch More with Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe.
New York Liberty guard Natasha Cloud warms up before a game against the Seattle Storm at Barclays Center on July 6, 2025, in Brooklyn, NY (John Jones/Imagn Images)
“That really galvanized and inspired the sports world to do the same, and that put pressure on people.”
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Although Cloud considers 2020 a landmark year, she also expressed concerns about the decline she’s seen in advocacy within the current WNBA.
Natasha Cloud of the New York Liberty dribbles the ball against the Chicago Sky during the first half at Barclays Center on August 21, 2025 in New York City, NY (Evan Bernstein/Getty Images)
“Every aspect of activism is important,” Cloud said. “I just don’t want to lose that as a W because we’ve always been at the forefront, and I would say over the last two or three years I’ve seen us kind of fall back on protecting our families and how we provide for our families.”
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Cloud averaged 10.1 points and 5.1 assists per game in his first season with the Liberty. She joined the Phoenix Mercury in 2024 and spent the first eight seasons of her WNBA career with the Washington Mystics.
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