WNBA star bringing WNB Factory to Milledgeville

Published 12:15 pm Wednesday, September 28, 2022

Milledgeville is getting a new restaurant with a big name attached to it.

WNBA Dallas Wings star and Olympic gold medalist Allisha Gray is bringing a Wing and Burger (WNB) Factory to town, both she and the restaurant announced on their respective social media channels last week. 

“So we did something big today,” Gray said on her verified Twitter account Friday. “We became Franchisee Owners of WNB Factory we are so excited for this journey and can’t wait! Coming soon!!! Thank you for believing in us!!! Location: Milledgeville, GA.”

WNB Factory further confirmed the news to The Union-Recorder via email Monday, but had not responded to requests for more information such as future address and timeline for opening. 

Gray, 27, is not from Milledgeville, but is a graduate of Washington County High School in nearby Sandersville. She led the Lady Golden Hawks to a 3A state championship in 2011, won a national championship in college at the University of South Carolina in 2017, and was drafted fourth overall by the Dallas Wings. She’s been there ever since, averaging double-digit scoring per game nearly every season. Gray averaged a personal-best 13.3 points per game in 2022, a year in which her team fell in the playoffs to the eventual WNBA runners-up, the Connecticut Sun. 

Another major career highlight happened for Gray last year as she represented the United States in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which were held in 2021 due to the pandemic. She was part of the first-ever 3-on-3 basketball team and helped lead USA to gold in the event last summer. 

The gold medalist has partnered with restaurant chain WNB Factory, which got its start in Atlanta in 1997. WNB currently has locations in Georgia, Alabama, Virginia, Ohio and Texas with new states coming, according to its website. Right now, the two closest to Milledgeville are in Macon. Most Georgia locations are concentrated in the Atlanta area where the restaurant has its corporate headquarters. 

As suggested by the name, WNB Factory’s menu is dominated by its wing (bone-in and boneless) and burger offerings, but there are other options too like its fish and shrimp platters. There’s even a light jab at Chick-fil-A on the menu with the “‘Not Closed on Sunday’ Chicken Sandwich.” According to the company’s website, WNB Factory’s philosophy is, “Only the Good Stuff” with premium-sourced ingredients “you can feel good about, simply seasoned.” A 10-piece bone-in wing combo with fries comes in at $13.99. A cheeseburger starts at $6.99 with the fries-plus-drink combo at $9.99.