Posted by Less than half a year ago, Brittney Griner found herself incarcerated in a Russian prison with the uncertainty of never returning to her homeland. However, late Friday, she exulted in her comeback. Griner, 32, dazzled the spectators with her skills on the court, leading the Phoenix Mercury to secure an impressive 18 points 7-of-9 shooting, six rebounds, and four blocks in a 94-71 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks.
“It’s a miracle that she’s here,’’ Mercury head coach Vanessa Nygaard said of Brittney Garner to reporters before the game.
In the moments leading up to the game, Griner had exchanged hugs with Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff as both dignitaries graced the presence of Crypto.com Arena. The venue also played host to other prominent figures, including Dawn Staley, Billie Jean King, Magic Johnson, and esteemed former Lakers players Pau Gasol and Michael Cooper.
During the game, the boisterous crowd of 10,396, full of young fans, were seen wearing “We Are BG’’ pins in honor of Griner and equally gave her a long and loud standing ovation.
“It was nice to be back for a real game and everything. The love from the fans when I came out was amazing,” Griner expressed after the game. The eight-time All-Star wasted no time leaving her mark on the court as after winning the opening tip-off, she also dished out an assist on the Mercury’s first possession, draining a 21-foot jumper to put Phoenix up 5-0. It was astounding considering the ordeal that began in Feb 2022 when she was playing for a pro team in Russia.
Griner was detained at the Moscow airport after authorities allegedly found vape, cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage. She pleaded guilty to the charges and was eventually sentenced to nine years in prison and subsequently transferred to a penal colony. Freed in December as part of a prisoner swap, the 6-foot-9 center took the court to rouse cheers for a game televised nationally by ESPN.
However, it had been 578 days since Griner played in her last WNBA game, Game 4 of the 2021 WNBA Finals, and the chance to hear her name again during player introductions no doubt created “a swell of emotions.” “Didn’t get to experience that for a while, so just taking it in but staying focused because at the end of the day I’ve got a job to do,” Griner said. On the other hand, it was also the first game of a 40-game regular season that will test Griner’s ability to regain her All-Star form.
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