Key Takeaways
- Roku’s "Gamechangers: Mother/Athlete" will spotlight Sheryl Swoopes, Skylar Diggins, and other WNBA players navigating motherhood and professional basketball.
- The docuseries examines decisions around pregnancy timing, contract considerations, and returning to competition after giving birth.
- The announcement comes amid growing attention around WNBA pregnancy protections, including the recently implemented Pregnancy No-Trade clause in the league’s new CBA.
There’s no more difficult — or rewarding — job in the world than being a mom, and for many women in the WNBA, that also means keeping their bodies ready to compete at the highest level. On Thursday (July 9), Roku announced that “Gamechangers: Mother/Athlete” will be joining its original programming lineup over the fall.
Featuring both former and current WNBA stars, the documentary will give viewers an “unprecedented look at the unique challenges of timing pregnancies around basketball season, maintaining contracts, and returning to All-Star form after giving birth.” Among the players sharing their stories are Hall of Famer Sheryl Swoopes, the Chicago Sky’s Skylar Diggins, Bria Hartley, power forward-turned-WNBA coach Natalie Achonwa, and Allison Feaster.
“I’ve spent my life competing at the highest level, but one of the most meaningful roles I’ve ever had is being a mother,” Swoopes shared with Variety. “For a long time, that part of our stories wasn’t talked about. I’m proud to be part of a documentary that gives women the space to share those experiences honestly, and I hope people come away with a deeper appreciation for everything these athletes balance.”
According to Christine Turner, the director behind “Gamechangers: Mother/Athlete,” the project will also dig into the “personal moments most of us never see,” including “the fear, the doubt, and the expectations they face when taking on two demanding roles at once.” She added, “My hope is that viewers leave with a fuller picture of what it means to be a mother and a hooper and to be a working mom, period.”
What to know about pregnancy protections in the WNBA
Playing in the WNBA, especially after giving birth, is no small feat. As USA Today notes, “only a handful of women have returned to play” after their second pregnancy, with Diggins and Dearica Hamby being part of that very select group. In 2024, the power forward sued the Las Vegas Aces and the league over alleged mistreatment because of her pregnancy at the time (though she later dropped the suit last December).
That lawsuit may have inadvertently helped shape the new CBA agreement, which took effect at the start of the 2026 WNBA season. It included a clause that basketball fans have since referred to as the “Hamby Clause,” which states, “Teams must obtain player consent before trading a pregnant player.”
ESPN announces docuseries spotlighting WNBA stars across 2025 season
Roku is far from the only streamer taking advantage of the banner year — or should we say years — the WNBA is experiencing. Also announced today, ESPN enlisted A’ja Wilson, Napheesa Collier, and DeWanna Bonner for its six-part “Life in the W,” slated to premiere July 24. The series, produced by LeBron James' Uninterrupted and Cookie Jar & A Dream Studios, follows their journeys on and off court through the 2025 season. "I'm so proud to be part of this project and allow viewers to connect with who we are beyond basketball," Wilson expressed.