Brittney Griner emotional after 'amazing' Phoenix homecoming - ESPN

PHOENIX — Brittney Griner stood in front of a wall of screens on one end of a dark arena, waiting for her name to be announced in front of one the largest crowds in Phoenix Mercury history as a video tribute played throughout the Footprint Center on Sunday afternoon.

It took the first three words of the song «Coming Home» by Diddy and Dirty Money, played over the montage, for Griner to start tearing up.

«I'm coming home...» the song played as Griner stood watching.

«Oh my god,» Griner said after scoring 27 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in the Mercury's 75-69 loss to the Chicago Sky. «Oh my god.

»It was emotional in the back, just hearing, seeing some of the clips and then coming out.… But, no, it was really good. It was really good. Part of the process of healing is just kind of letting it out. So, yeah, nah, I got choked up a little bit."

She tried to hide her emotion but wiped away a tear just before the opening tip. Even coach Vanessa Nygaard admitted after the game that she teared up, as well. Sunday was also the first time Griner played in front of her parents in more than a decade, another part of a milestone game that made her emotional.

«That was amazing,» Griner said. «I don't think I've played in front of everybody in one place, honestly, since high school, honestly. So, just having everybody here right now and, like I said before, didn't know when that was going to happen, if it would happen, depending on how long it was, it could have been a lot different.

»So just having them here, just spending time with them, playing in front of them. I mean, that got me choked up. Yeah, that one got me."

Griner last played a regular-season game in her home arena on Oct. 13, 2021 during the WNBA Finals against the same