Brittney Griner is making her return to the WNBA. According to PEOPLE, the 32-year-old has signed a one-year contract with the WNBA Phoneix Mercury team.
More About Griner’s Return To The WNBA
Griner previously played for the WNBA Phoenix Mercury team in 2021. This was before the basketball star was detained in a Russian prison for ten months for “allegedly smuggling ‘narcotic drugs’ into the country, as reported by the outlet. Additionally, the outlet reported that up until that time, Griner averaged “17.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.8 assists” in her career.
The basketball ball star has reportedly signed a one-year $165,100 contract with the team, marking her return.
According to TMZ, the Phoenix Mercury team will begin its season in mid-May. Griner nor the WNBA has issued a statement regarding her signing. However, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert did share her reaction to Griner’s return ahead of WNBA All-Star Weekend, as reported by PEOPLE.
I met with her in Phoenix. Britney is doing remarkably well, and she’s starting to train. We’re so excited to have her back in the league after an awful ordeal.
Griner’s Wife Recently Reflected On Her Homecoming After 10-Month Detention In Russia
As The Shade Room previously reported, Cherelle Griner recently spoke out regarding her wife’s release from being detained in Russia. And shared how difficult those ten months apart had been for her.
I was hopeless a lot of days. You try and stay grounded, but I’m human. Still, I would never completely give up hope on my wife’s life.
She also shared more about the moment she and her wife locked eyes with one another for the first time in ten months.
We were both just instantly crying. I was standing there full of tears and someone ran over and handed me a handkerchief. I definitely needed it.
When the two were finally able to embrace one another, Griner explained that she couldn’t stop touching her wife’s face.
I was like, ‘Is this really you?’ It did not feel real. It was chilling — and warm. I was just holding on tight. I couldn’t let her go.
She also shared more about the couple’s journey forward.
It’s unfortunate that those 10 months happened without us being able to be side-by-side. But it happened, and we’re embracing the fact that we now get to learn each other’s story through that time. So we’re taking it slow. We are not doing it all at once. But we are honoring the fact that I went through something that was really hard and difficult without BG’s awareness, and vice versa. Day by day, we’re just feeding a little bit to the soul and understanding each other’s journey so we can actually start walking together.
Roommates, are you excited to see Brittney Griner back out on the court?
