‘Day of joy’ as freed Brittney Griner makes WNBA return


Brittney Griner WNBA

Brittney Griner #42 of the Phoenix Mercury throughout play in opposition to the Los Angeles Sparks at Crypto.com Enviornment on Might 19, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Ronald Martinez/Getty Photographs/AFP

Brittney Griner made an emotional return to ladies’s basketball on Friday, taking part in her first aggressive sport in practically two years following her incarceration in Russia.

Griner, who was launched by Russia as a part of a prisoner swap final yr, made her first look in a WNBA sport in 579 days because the Phoenix Mercury confronted the Los Angeles Sparks in a season opener in California.

US Vice President Kamala Harris was among the many well-wishers on the Crypto.com Enviornment in downtown Los Angeles because the WNBA celebrity lastly returned to motion.

The 2-time Olympic gold medalist made an instantaneous impression on her return, successful the tip-off and scoring 4 factors because the Mercury jumped into an early 7-0 lead.

“It felt good,” Griner stated in an on-court interview on the finish of the primary quarter. “It felt actual good. It felt just like the final time I performed.”

Griner ultimately completed with 18 factors and 6 rebounds however couldn’t stop Phoenix from slumping to a complete 94-71 loss.

The end result, nonetheless, was nearly a footnote to an event that Phoenix coach Vanessa Nygaard described as a “day of pleasure.”

“All final season I opened each press convention with what number of days she is gone,” Nygaard stated in pre-game remarks.

“And till the day once we obtained the information within the morning that she was on her manner residence, nobody thought that it was going to occur.

“We did our jobs most likely with much less pleasure than skilled athletes do. It was heavy daily. But it surely’s nice to have this sport immediately. Immediately it’s a day of pleasure.

“I’m simply so glad she’s residence. It’s a miracle that she’s right here and everybody going to see this sport immediately goes to witness a miracle that she’s returned from a Russian jail and is taking part in basketball within the WNBA once more.”

Celebrities at courtside on Friday included tennis legend Billie Jean King, Los Angeles Lakers icon Earvin “Magic” Johnson and present Lakers head coach Darvin Ham.

‘A staff is a staff’

Shortly earlier than tip-off, Vice President Harris congratulated Phoenix’s gamers for making certain that Griner’s case was not forgotten.

“Thanks for all that you simply did for supporting Brittney, as a result of I do know that was tough,” Harris stated in a locker room tackle. “That was so tough for you as a result of a staff is a staff — that’s household.”

WNBA gamers union chief and Sparks ahead Nneka Ogwumike thanked Harris and the Biden administration for serving to to safe Griner’s launch.

“Tonight is a sport however we’re additionally celebrating the return of one in all our personal,” Ogwumike stated.

Griner, 32, a WNBA champion and LGBTQ trailblazer, was arrested on drug prices at a Moscow airport in February 2022 in opposition to a backdrop of hovering tensions over Ukraine.

On the time of her arrest, Griner had been taking part in for knowledgeable staff in Russia, as quite a few WNBA gamers do within the low season.

She was accused of possessing vape cartridges with a small amount of hashish oil and sentenced in August to 9 years in jail.

She pleaded responsible to the costs, however stated she didn’t intend to interrupt the regulation or use the banned substance in Russia.

Griner was ultimately launched as a part of a deal that noticed her swapped for infamous Russian arms vendor Viktor Bout — often called the “Service provider of Dying” — in December.

Phoenix coach Nygaard, in the meantime, stated she hoped her staff would profit from the feel-good issue surrounding Griner’s return.

“We went round each metropolis final yr and B.G. was the story,” Nygaard stated.

“This yr it is going to be a narrative of pleasure, and love and happiness.

“In order that constructive power will most likely assist our staff and be much less of a distraction.”

“We introduced again this girl, this Black, homosexual girl from a Russian jail, and America did that as a result of they valued her,” Nygaard stated.

“Simply to be a part of a gaggle that values folks at that degree, it makes me very proud to be an American. I see B.G. and I see hope and I see the longer term.”

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