Texas homecoming for Griner in WNBA star’s 1st game there since Russian release

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Brittney Griner had a Texas homecoming, in private, out at dinner and on the court with the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA star’s home state six months after her release from a Russian prison.

Even before the first of consecutive games against the Dallas Wings, Griner was getting shouts of encouragement while out eating with teammates. Less than two hours before Wednesday night’s game, she met in private with members of the women’s basketball team from Baylor, the campus 100 miles away where she was part of a 40-0 national championship in 2012.

“We went to eat yesterday and we walk in and everybody’s (shouting) Brittney Griner, Brittney Griner,” said Mercury forward Brianna Turner, like Griner a Houston native. “It’s been really exciting, the warm welcome she’s received and everyone coming up and being like good luck, so happy you’re home.”

The Mercury were on the road for only the second time this season. It is the first time for Griner to play in her home state since before she missed all of last season while detained in Russia for nearly 10 months on drug-related charges that ended with a prisoner swap in December.

Griner, as usual, wasn’t made available to the media after the morning shootaround, or before the game.

When the starting lineups were introduced before the game, Griner got a huge ovation from the crowd that also included plenty of Baylor fans and players from her high school in Houston. Griner responded by applauding to the crowd, then made a jumper on the game’s first shot.

“This is a joyful distraction as opposed to what we all went through last year,” Mercury coach Vanessa Nygaard said. “Every city last year, it was the BG game, but not the BG game like this, so extremely grateful to have her back. We can’t forget the miracle that it is that she is here.”

Dallas coach Latricia Trammell said the highlight of her day was giving Griner a big hug when the Mercury were coming onto the court for their morning shootaround as the Wings were finishing their session.

“It just was an emotional moment for all of us,” Trammell said. “Just honored and blessed that she’s on the floor safe, healthy. And like she told me, she goes, it’s all happiness from here.”

Griner also shared hugs at the shootaround with Wings players Odyssey Sims and Kalani Brown, both former Baylor players. Sims was a teammate of Griner’s on the undefeated national title team, while Brown was part of the Bears’ national championship in 2019.

Brown used to go to camps at Baylor when Griner was playing there — “BG does not like me to pull that camp picture out,” Brown said with a smile.

Now that Griner is back on the court, Brown said it is important that she knows how much everyone was pulling for her and praying for her in a difficult time.

“I’m glad that that situation didn’t dim her light, because she is the sweetest person. Every encounter we have, I’ve never had a negative one,” Brown said. “I’m just kind of like a little baby to her. But yeah, I’m so glad that didn’t change her because it could it easily did that. So I just thank God for that.”

When the current Baylor players met with Griner, they presented her with a commemorative frame featuring the “BG42” patch that the Bears wore on their jerseys throughout last season, even after Griner was freed.

Nicki Collen, who just finished her second season as Baylor’s coach, said her goal is to retire Griner’s No. 42 jersey, as early as the upcoming season when the school opens its new basketball arena. No one has worn that number for the Bears since Griner’s senior season in 2012-13.

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