Brittney Griner has signed a one-year deal with the Phoenix Mercury, less than three months after being released from a Russian jail where she had been held for nearly ten months. Griner, 32, last played in the WNBA in 2021, when she led the Mercury to the Championships. They were defeated 3 games to 1 by the Chicago Sky.
Many fans wondered if Griner would return to the court after being swapped with high-value Russian prisoner Viktor Bout as part of her release in December 2022 but Brittney swore to return. “I also want to make one thing very clear, I intend to play basketball for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury this season,” Griner said.
Brittney Griner Signs 1-Year Contract With Phoenix Mercury After Returning From Russian Jail
Griner, of course, was imprisoned near Moscow in February 2022 after Russia claimed she was captured attempting to smuggle vape cartridges into the country. BG was not unknown in Russia; she had previously played overseas, where players can make a higher salary. The WNBA season in 2023 begins in mid-May.
The deal’s terms have yet to be announced and neither Griner nor the group has made a statement regarding the signing. Griner was selected first overall by the Mercury in the 2013 WNBA Selection. In 2014, she guided Phoenix to a WNBA championship. Griner is an 8-time All-Star and two-time scoring winner. In addition, the 6’9″ center topped the league in blocks eight times.
It is interesting that she is returning to the WNBA so soon after what happened and we wonder if this will continue to loom over her for a while to come. Many people believe she shouldn’t have even been released, and that the trade was bad for the US. Well, we got an American back, but we had to give up sigh a high-value prisoner in Viktor Bout.
What do you think? Was this a good or bad trade and do you think she will appreciate her WNBA contract more after the fact? Let us know in the comments below.
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