Brittney Griner’s First Game Back Was a Star-Studded Event for WNBA
The WNBA wasn't the same without Mercury center Brittney Griner.
In 2022, Griner’s detention and incarceration in Russia on charges of smuggling hash oil made headlines around the world. The U.S. government’s lengthy attempt to free her ultimately ended in success, with Russia releasing Griner in a prisoner exchange on Dec. 8.
During her nearly 10-month detention, the women’s basketball community repeatedly demonstrated support for her release. On Friday, it was out in full force for Griner’s first game back with Phoenix in Los Angeles.
Though the Mercury lost their opener 94–71 to the Sparks, Griner dropped a team-high 18 points with six rebounds and two assists in her return—including an elegant midrange jumper in the first quarter to start her season.
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On the occasion of Griner's return, Nike put up a massive billboard outside the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles reading, "Basketball is home."
Meanwhile, Vice President Kamala Harris attended the game in her home state of California, meeting with Griner in the locker room pregame.
The home crowd gave Griner a standing ovation pregame.
Several Lakers luminaries also attended the game, including former center Pau Gasol, former forward Robert Horry and coach Darvin Ham on an off-night in Los Angeles's Western Conference finals series against the Nuggets.
South Carolina coach Dawn Staley, a champion of Griner's cause throughout her detention, embraced the former Baylor center as well.
