Tag: Brittney Griner

Best photos from Brittney Griner’s jersey retirement at Baylor

When Brittney Griner played at Baylor, her coach was Kim Mulkey, but the new head coach is the one who pushed for the retirement.

Legendary Baylor Bears women’s basketball player Brittney Griner has finally received the recognition she deserved from Baylor. Her jersey was officially retired on Sunday at Ferrell Center in Waco, Texas.

“Just full of emotion,” Griner told ESPN during the Bears’ game against Texas Tech. “As soon as (the jersey) started to go up, that’s when I started to break.”

When Griner played at Baylor, her coach was Kim Mulkey, who now coaches at LSU, but the new head coach at Baylor is the one who stood beside her at the jersey retirement and pushed for the retirement. Head coach Nicki Collen knew it was something that needed to be done for Griner and the entire Baylor community.

Griner had a strained relationship with Baylor since playing there and being drafted by the Mercury as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 WNBA draft. It was reported that Mulkey told Griner to keep her sexual identity private. However, head coach Collen made it a priority to fix the relationship between the school and Griner and has been an avid supporter of Griner since she took the job at Baylor three years ago.

“Knowing BG, knowing her, being around her, she’s a big kid,” Collen said about Griner in 2022. “To know her is to love her. I mean, honestly, she just is one of those people that radiates joy.”

See the best photos from the retirement ceremony:

Brittney Griner is proud to represent U.S. women’s national team

Griner was met with thunderous applause when she was announced as a starter for the national team in their exhibition against Tennessee.

Before she discovered basketball, WNBA player Brittney Griner thought she would be in the military or a police officer. After all, her father served in Vietnam as a Marine and later became a sheriff’s officer in Texas. She has always loved her country even while peacefully protesting injustices she observes and has experienced.

“My dad was law enforcement 30 years, military Vietnam ’68-69 Marine, so I mean, being able to represent my country means a lot,” Griner said last week. “Before ball, I actually wanted to actually go into the military, before I found basketball, so this is my way of still representing USA.”

So anytime she can represent her country, whether that be on the Olympic team or starting for the U.S. women’s national team exhibition game, she is all in for Team USA. On Sunday, Griner was met with thunderous applause when she was announced as a starter for the national team in their exhibition game against Tennessee.

“I actually talked to people that said they were coming specifically to see her and to watch her play,” Tennessee coach Kellie Harper said. “And they had become fans throughout her challenges in the last year or so, and I was really happy for that team to feel that from our fans.”

The national team’s next exhibition game will be at Duke on Nov. 12. This begins the preparations for the team’s 2024 Paris Olympics run. They are chasing their eighth straight Olympic gold medal.

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WNBA Sportsmanship and Community Assist awards announced

The league announced the recipients of the 2023 Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award and the season-long WNBA Cares Community Assist Award.

With the conclusion of the WNBA season, the league announced the recipients of the 2023 Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award and the season-long WNBA Cares Community Assist Award. Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner took home the Community Assist Award for her extensive work in championing the safe return of wrongful detainees overseas and helping marginalized communities in Phoenix.

“I’m grateful to receive this recognition from the WNBA but even more grateful to the X-factor fans, fans all around the league and our Phoenix Mercury organization for working together this year to make a difference through my Heart and Sole Shoe Drive and Bring Our Families Home,” said Griner. “I know the opportunity, privilege and responsibility I have to make a difference in the lives of others, and I’ll always remain committed to that.”

The WNBA will donate $20,000 to be split among charities of Griner’s choice, which include Bring Our Families Home and the Phoenix Rescue Mission.

The WNBA also recently announced that Chicago Sky center Elizabeth Williams has been named the recipient of the 2023 Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award. The award is “presented each season to a player who exemplifies the ideals of sportsmanship on the court, including ethical behavior, fair play and integrity.”

“I’m extremely humbled to be named this year’s recipient of the Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award,” said Williams. “Kim displayed the highest level of respect for the game with her competitive nature and willingness to impact her local community as well. Her spirit lives on, and I’m grateful to share this honor with past recipients like Sylvia Fowles, Nneka Ogwumike, Swin Cash, and many others. All of these women demonstrated high levels of resilience, leadership, and sportsmanship on and off the court. It is truly an honor.”

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Here’s what the AP voters absolutely got right and wrong for its 2023 WNBA awards

The AP WNBA awards are out and something don’t make sense.

The WNBA regular season slate ended Sunday, giving players and coaches one final opportunity to state their case for why they should be considered among the league’s best talent.

Following the end of the season, a 12-member media group from the Associated Press votes on awards such as Most Valuable Player (MVP), Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY), Coach of the Year (COY), and more. These awards precede the league awards that will be announced during post-season play, with the coveted league MVP award announced on September 26.

Here’s what the AP voters absolutely got right and wrong for its 2023 WNBA awards:

Mercury All-Star Brittney Griner expected to return to play Saturday

Griner is one of many at the forefront of advocating for and speaking up about the importance of mental health for athletes.

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.

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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WNBA Twitter shows support for Brittney Griner during absence from Mercury

While she is only expected to be out from July 30-Aug. 1, the timeline for her return has not been announced.

The Phoenix Mercury announced on Saturday that star center Brittney Griner will take time off “to focus on her mental health.” Griner did not play in the Mercury’s 104-85 loss to the Chicago Sky on Sunday.

The statement said: “Mercury center Brittney Griner will not travel with the team on its upcoming two-game road trip to Chicago and Indiana to focus on her mental health. The Mercury fully support Brittney and we will continue to work together on a timeline for her return.”

In April, Griner participated in her first press conference since being released from a Russian prison where she was wrongfully detained. She shared she has no desire to play overseas again.

Griner made headlines in 2022 when she was unlawfully detained in Russia on her way to play for UMMC Ekaterinburg. Griner had played in Russia since 2014 to supplement her WNBA income.

While she is only expected to be out from July 30-Aug. 1, the timeline for her return has not been announced. When the statement was released, social media supporters flooded the Mercury’s timeline with messages of support and love for Griner.

Brittney Griner says 2024 All-Star in Phoenix will be ‘a lot of fun’

This will be the third time the Phoenix Mercury have hosted the event, mostly recently in 2014.

The WNBA All-Star Weekend returns to Phoenix in 2024, the league announced. This will be the third time the Phoenix Mercury have hosted the event.

They most recently hosted the festivities in 2014.

“The WNBA is excited to bring WNBA All-Star (Game) back to Phoenix for the third time in our nearly three-decade history,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said. “Having an inaugural WNBA franchise in the Mercury host this two-day celebration is perfect as the basketball world focuses its eyes on the WNBA and today’s greatest stars.”

The event will take place at Footprint Center, home of the three-time WNBA champion Mercury.

“As I’ve said from Day 1, we are going to make Phoenix one of the leading basketball destinations in the world and the 2024 WNBA All-Star Game is going to be an unbelievable experience,” said Mat Ishbia, Phoenix Mercury and Phoenix Suns owner. “As the women’s game continues to grow and reach new heights, we are going to put on an All-Star weekend that will accelerate that growth and elevate the league. I want to thank the WNBA and the entire Phoenix community for coming together to help bring the WNBA All-Star Game to the Valley. I couldn’t be more excited to show the world what Phoenix basketball is all about.”

When asked what to expect at All-Star Weekend in Phoenix, Brittney Griner of the Mercury said: “A lot of fun, a lot of fun. It’s going to be some special things going on. So you’re just going to have to come and see what happens. Hope you get an invite.”

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WNBA opening night viewership up 103% year-over-year

The average viewership between the Mercury and Sparks was 683,000 with a peak at one million on opening day.

The WNBA is 26 years old and thriving in viewership. The WNBA draft was televised on ESPN and watched by more than 500,000 people. It was the most viewed draft since 2004, and viewership was up 42% year-over-year. Now, during the regular season, the viewers are tuning in again.

ESPN’s broadcast of the Phoenix Mercury versus the Los Angeles Sparks was the most-viewed WNBA regular-season game on cable in 24 years and the most-viewed WNBA opening night game on ESPN platforms in 11 years. The game was broadcast at 11 p.m. ET, which shows the potential for more prime-time slots and increased viewership. Despite the late start time, the average viewership was 683,000 with a peak at one million, boosted by Brittney Griner’s return to the WNBA.

Attendance at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, was 10,396 and had many notable people in attendance, including Magic Johnson, Pau Gasol, Byron Scott, Robert Horry, Billie Jean King, Los Angeles Lakers coach Darvin Ham and vice president of the United States Kamala Harris.

This marks a 103% increase year-over-year in opening night viewership for the WNBA. The WNBA’s deal with ESPN is up for renewal in 2025 and the increased viewership should indicate an increased price to broadcast WNBA games, which would mean more money for the league and the players.

“The whole media landscape is being very disrupted, and I’m watching that very carefully as we think about our next media rights deal,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert told Front Office Sports. “I’m excited, quite frankly, to take a look at this and the way our media rights are valued.”

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Brittney Griner received a heartwarming fan reception before her first home game in almost 2 years

Brittney Griner was given an emotional introduction in her return to Phoenix.

It’s been an emotional few days for Brittney Griner and WNBA fans. Friday was Griner’s first WNBA game in nearly two years and it was as special of a night as you could ask for.

And now, Griner has officially hit the court back home in Phoenix for the first time in 585 days. Ahead of the Phoenix Mercury’s home opener against the Chicago Sky, Griner was given a wonderfully hype and heartwarming welcome back by fans in her introduction.

MORE WNBA: The best WNBA storylines to watch this season, including Brittney Griner’s return.

Set to “Coming Home” by Ditty, Griner took the court to loud cheers from the Phoenix faithful in attendance in an incredibly awesome moment.

Not only that, Griner kicked the scoring off for the Mercury with this early strike to really get the crowd going.

Welcome home, Brittney Griner!

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The 7 best moments from Brittney Griner’s return to the WNBA on opening night

Brittney Griner is officially back, y’all.

After everything Brittney Griner has been through over the last year or so, she always told us that she was going to get back on the court for this WNBA season.

Here we are 579 days later and Griner is officially back like she never left.

RELATED: The best WNBA storylines to watch this season, including Brittney Griner’s return. 

The Mercury center made her first WNBA appearance since 2021 on Friday when Phoenix played the Sparks. Griner’s Mercury didn’t win the game, but she was impressive nonetheless. And it felt like just about everyone came out to support Griner and show her love for her return.

Here are 7 awesome moments from a night we won’t forget anytime soon.