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.”
Mercury center Brittney Griner will not travel with the team on its upcoming two-game road trip to Chicago and Indiana (July 30-August 1) to focus on her mental health. The Mercury fully support Brittney and we will continue to work together on a timeline for her return.
— Phoenix Mercury (@PhoenixMercury) July 29, 2023
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.