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Dream's Brittney Griner Honored With Video Tribute in First Return to Phoenix

Griner left the Mercury and joined the Dream in free agency this past offseason.

Brigid Kennedy

Griner left the Mercury in free agency after 11 seasons with the team.
Griner left the Mercury in free agency after 11 seasons with the team. / Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images
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On Wednesday, Atlanta Dream center Brittney Griner made her first return to Phoenix since leaving the Mercury in free agency, and it's safe to say the league vet was feeling the love.

For starters, Griner greeted multiple Mercury staffers as she walked through the tunnel pregame, doling out hugs and fist bumps.

Later, out on the court, Phoenix kicked off the contest with a Griner tribute video that garnered an emotional reaction from the crowd, many members of which also had "Thank you, BG" signs in tow.

And of course, WNBA legend, recent retiree and Griner's former teammate Diana Taurasi was in the house to support her friend, garnering another big cheer from the crowd.

After 11 seasons with the Mercury, Griner shocked the WNBA world when she left for the Dream this past offseason. She is currently there on a one-year deal, and is averaging 10.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and 0.8 assists across 21 games played, not counting Wednesday's contest.

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Brigid Kennedy
BRIGID KENNEDY

Brigid Kennedy is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Before joining SI in November 2024, she covered political news, sporting news and culture at TheWeek.com before moving to Livingetc, an interior design magazine. She is a graduate of Syracuse University, dual majoring in television, radio and film (from the Newhouse School of Public Communications) and marketing managment (from the Whitman School of Management). Offline, she enjoys going to the movies, reading and watching the Steelers.

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