The Phoenix Mercury announced on July 29 that star center Brittney Griner would take time off “to focus on her mental health.” Griner made an appearance on Aug. 4 when Diana Taurasi made history as the first player in the WNBA to reach 10,000 career points. Later that day, the team announced Griner was expected to return to play on Saturday.
The statement about Griner’s return read: “Mercury center Brittney Griner is expected to return to play tomorrow, Saturday, Aug, 5, when the Mercury tip off against the Seattle Storm at 7 p.m. at Footprint Center.”
Griner is one of many at the forefront of advocating for and speaking up about the importance of mental health for athletes. Other athletes who have been openly discussing the importance include Olympic gymnast Simone Biles and professional tennis star Naomi Osaka.
When the announcement for Griner’s temporary rest was announced, people flooded social media to show support for her.
BG showed up in a Taurasi jersey. She wasn’t missing this moment 💜 pic.twitter.com/ABw0NeOVGP
— Phoenix Mercury (@PhoenixMercury) August 4, 2023
While physical health has always been a priority in sports, the mental health of these athletes is often pushed to the side. As research has shown, when mental health is not a priority, a myriad of other problems surface, which then ultimately affect physical health.
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