WNBA
- Griner scores game-best 18 points in first game in 19 months
- US Vice President Kamala Harris among 10,396 present
- As the WNBA’s 27th season begins, the Sparks defeat Mercury
Sat 20 May 2023 13:29 BST
Two hours before Brittney Griner would play her first WNBA game in 19 months, her coach at the Phoenix Mercury described the significance of the event in simple but poignant terms.
“All of last season I started with how many days she was gone,” Vanessa Nygaard, the team’s sophomore coach, said of her interviews. “This is the first press conference for a game that I haven’t attended.”
Griner, who was jailed in Russia for 10 months, was given a rapturous reception by the 10,396 fans at Friday night’s season opener at Crypto.com Arena, where the Los Angeles Sparks defeated Griners Mercury 94-71. Also in attendance was US Vice President Kamala Harris, who spoke to both teams before the game.
“I relied on hard work”: Brittney Griner on dealing with Russian incarceration
Despite suffering a show loss to the Sparks Wednesday night in Phoenix, Griner’s performance in the season opener marked her first meaningful game since Oct. 17, 2021. On that day, one day before Griner’s 31st birthday, the Chicago Sky defeated the Mercury Win That WNBA Finals in four games.
Exactly four months later, Russian police arrested Griner in Moscow after customs officials found cannabis oil in her e-cigarette cartridges. Griner, who played for UMMC Ekaterinburg in the off-season of the WNBA, received a prescription from her Arizona doctor to use medical marijuana for pain management. But medical marijuana is illegal in Russia.
On May 2, the US State Department declared Griner “wrongly imprisoned.” During her trial on July 7, Griner pleaded guilty to possession but said she had no intention of breaking any laws. On August 4, the court sentenced Griner to nine years in prison and fined him one million rubles, or $16,301. In contrast, the standard penalty in Russia for possession of less than two grams of cannabis oil is 15 days.
While the US and Russia negotiated her release, Griner was being held in a women’s prison 310 miles southeast of Moscow. On December 8, Russia traded Griner for Viktor Bout, an arms dealer.
“Up until the day we got word that she was on her way home, nobody thought it was going to happen,” Nygaard said. “The emotions we went through as a group last year were difficult to process. It was hard every day. We probably took less pleasure in our work than professional athletes usually do. That’s why it’s great to have this game today. Today is a day of joy.”
US Vice President Kamala Harris visited the Phoenix Mercury dressing room during her visit to Los Angeles on Friday. Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images
That joy was evident early on when the Mercury took the floor in the pre-game warm-up – and received a standing ovation. A short tribute video featuring clips of Griner’s performances punctuated with comments from members of the Sparks. Visibly moved, Griner clapped and placed her right hand on her heart as the arena’s cameras locked on her.
“The love from the fans when I came out was incredible,” Griner said. “I definitely felt that. I haven’t experienced that for a while.”
The two-time Olympic gold medalist received another loud ovation when she was announced as a member of the starting line-up, and then hugged the Sparks’ Nneka Ogwumike, the team’s lead player, before they faced off in the opening tap.
Griner started strong. The 6’9″ center scored four points, grabbed three rebounds, blocked two shots and passed for an assist as the Mercury started a 9-0 sprint. Phoenix led in the first quarter with 3:13 to go by as much as 11 points but slumped in the final three periods.
In her 25-minute game, Griner finished the game with 18 points, six rebounds and four blocks. But her lack of conditioning became apparent. When she finally left the game 5:52 before the end of the game, Griner appeared exhausted and had a slight limp.
“It’s hard to just take a break between seasons anyway,” she said. “I remember once having a month off and thinking it was death. For the All-Star Game, I’m hoping to be exactly where I want to be, to just be able to play 40 minutes – I mean, I’m going to regret that – and just be back to how it was before all of this happened is. ”
The Mercury struggled to keep up with the Sparks on Friday night despite Griner’s best-of-game 18 points. Photo: Adam Pantozzi/NBAE/Getty Images
Nygaard believes Griner faces a unique challenge. “No one has ever seen a player come back and play after a year in prison,” Nygaard said. “We have conversations with her about how she is doing physically. BG told me, ‘Anytime you want me in the game, put me in the game.’ Whatever you want me to do, I’ll do it.’ I think playing games is the best way to bring them back to their physical peak. She is an athlete who is used to playing all year round for ten years without a break.”
However, this unintentional break left dramatic personal repercussions. “I appreciate everything a little bit more, all those little moments,” Griner said. “You know, I used to say, ‘I’m so tired.’ “I don’t want to go to practice today” or this or that. To be honest, I think that’s changed. You just appreciate everything because you know that tomorrow isn’t guaranteed. You don’t know what it’s going to look like.”
Griner’s return might have had a more profound impact on her coach. “Something amazing happened: we got this black gay woman back from a Russian prison,” Nygaard said. “America did this because they valued it. She is an athlete and she was appreciated. Just being part of a group that values people at this level makes me very proud to be an American.
“For me, I see BG and I see hope and I see the future. I have small children and that gives me great hope for our country.”
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