Brittney Griner strolled down the sideline about 1 1/2 hours before the Phoenix Mercury played Friday night, giving hugs and high-fiving her teammates, coaches and opposing players.
looked good, especially considering the long layoff, casually throwing down a one-handed dunk during warmups.
“Hearing the national anthem, it definitely hit different,” Griner said. “It’s like when you go for the Olympics, you’re sitting there, about to get gold put on your neck, the flags are going up and the anthem is playing, it just hits different.Griner received a loud ovation from the home crowd when she was introduced before tipoff.Mercury coach Vanessa Nygaard said the anthem and introductions were emotional for the entire team.
Once the game started, the 32-year-old Griner immediately went to work, scoring on a turnaround jumper early in the first quarter. “When one of us goes down, we’re always right there,” Griner said. “That’s one thing about this team — we’re always there for each other. We’ve got each others’ backs, big time.”Getty ImagesThe former Baylor star helped the franchise win its third title in 2014 and has averaged 17.7 points and 7.6 rebounds during her nine-year career.She was runner-up for Most Valuable Player in 2021, when the Mercury also played in the Finals but lost to the Chicago Sky.
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