Silke Jasso
Brittney Griner is back on the court playing with the Phoenix Mercury after a hiatus of more than a year. The WNBA player had been detained in Russia on charges of drug smuggling, but was released two months ago and is now practicing with her team.
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The Mercury shared three pictures of Griner shooting on Tuesday, featuring her in a black WNBA tank top, matching black and purple shorts over dark purple leggings, and a gold chain. “There she is 🧡,” the team wrote alongside some photos.
It was announced on Monday that Griner has signed a one-year free-agent contract worth $165,100 to rejoin the Phoenix Mercury. She previously played for the team in the 2021 season, during which she maintained an average of 17.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.8 assists over her career.
Brittney Griner Signs with Phoenix Mercury
“I also want to make one thing very clear,” Griner wrote in an Instagram post. “I intend to play basketball for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury this season.”
“In doing so, I look forward to being able to say ‘thank you’ to those of you who advocated, wrote, and posted for me in person soon,” she stated.
On December 12, Griner participated in her first basketball workout. Her agent, Lindsay Kagawa Colas, told ESPN that Griner would spend the holiday season reflecting on her future plans.
“There’s no timeline on her return at this point,” Colas went on to tell ESPN. “She’s reintegrating into a world that has changed for her now. From a pure security standpoint, she’s not going to be able to move in the world the way she did.”
“If she wants to play, it will be for her to share,” Colas added. “She has the holidays to decide what’s next without any pressure. She’s doing really, really well. She seems to have endured this in pretty incredible ways.”
