’A day of joy’: Brittney Griner makes WNBA season debut after being jailed in Russia

LOS ANGELES, USA: Brittney Griner stood for the national anthem before her first regular-season WNBA game since being jailed in Russia. Griner was outspoken for social justice in 2020 and didn’t take the court during the pregame anthem. But nearly a year behind bars in Russia changed her.

“I was literally in a cage and could not stand the way I wanted to,” she said. “Just being able to hear my national anthem and see my flag, I definitely want to stand.” Griner had 18 points, six rebounds and four blocked shots Friday night for the Phoenix Mercury in a 94-71 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks. “Not good enough, didn’t get the dub,” said Griner, who nevertheless couldn’t be down in defeat.

“I appreciate everything a little bit more, all of the small moments, like, ‘Oh, I’m so tired I don’t want to go to practice today,’ that has changed, honestly,” she said. “Tomorrow is not guaranteed, you don’t know what it’s going to look like. I feel a lot older somehow, too.” The 32-year-old center’s immediate goal is to play an entire game by the All-Star break in mid-July.

She played 25 minutes Friday. “I hope to be exactly where I want to be,” Griner said. “Just getting back to how I was before all this happened.” Griner made an immediate impact against the Sparks.

She fired a pass to Moriah Jefferson, who hit a 3-pointer for Phoenix’s first basket. Griner grabbed a couple of rebounds and scored twice in helping the Mercury to an early lead. “How good did she just look? Unbelievable,” WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert told reporters at halftime.