Forward of Staff USA’s first sport, SB Nation is introducing every of the 12 members of the US Olympic Ladies’s Basketball group this week. Right here’s what it’s good to find out about Brittney Griner, a two-time gold medalist who’s lengthy been a defensive anchor.
Quick Information
Staff: Phoenix Mercury (13-12)
2024 Common Season Stats: 18.3 factors (56%), 6.4 rebounds, 1.4 blocks
Place: Heart
Draft Class: 2013, choose #1
All-Star Alternatives: 10 (2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)
Earlier Olympic Appearances: 2x Olympic Gold Medalist (2016, 2020)
Faculty: Baylor – gained NCAA championship in 2012
After spending a yr in Russian captivity, Griner is especially proud to signify USA
Brittney Griner was enjoying basketball abroad with the Russian Premier League when she was arrested for possession of lower than a gram of medically prescribed hash oil. After an unsure and public detainment that spanned ten months, she was launched in a highly-publicized prisoner trade for Russian arms supplier Viktor Bout.
It’s been a yr and a half since her return to the US, and this will likely be her first Olympics competitors for the reason that detainment. So, whereas Griner already has two gold medals beneath her belt, she informed reporters that the possibility to signify the US post-detainment is further particular now.
“It all the time meant every part to me,” Griner mentioned, by way of andscape.com. “My dad fought for our nation. He’s a Marine… So, it’s all the time been one thing that we’ve all the time cherished, however now much more so. My nation actually saved my life and I’m capable of signify them once more and it simply means a lot extra.”
Griner detailed her expertise in Russia and, and the next re-acclimation, in her e book, Coming Dwelling, which got here out in Might 2024. Diana Taurasi, who Griner has been teammates with for her whole WNBA profession, praised her for competing within the Olympics.
“What BG’s gone by means of within the final couple of years is clearly unprecedented,” Taurasi mentioned by way of GMA Community. “For her to have the ability to come again, to get on that flight, to come back abroad, it was a giant second for her in a number of methods. However I’m glad she did it as a result of she’s a exceptional particular person.”
Brittney Griner has dunked (means) greater than any WNBA participant
Griner has dunked 26 instances in-game — a feat that no different WNBA participant has achieved greater than twice. In actual fact, in her first sport as an expert, she grew to become the primary participant to ever win
The one different energetic participant who has dunked in-game is the Liberty’s Jonquel Jones.
However the 6’9 heart has been capable of dunk since she was a junior in highschool — a compilation YouTube video of her dunking as a teen really garnered 6.6 million views. Her impression on the ladies’s sport definitely hasn’t been restricted to dunking, however Griner fully modified how ladies dunking has been perceived.
She doesn’t dunk each sport, however final yr, she dunked twice within the All-Star sport.
“I referred to as my knees and talked to them and gave them slightly pep discuss,” she mentioned afterwards, per Simply Ladies Sports activities.
At her prime, Griner was among the best defensive gamers in WNBA historical past
Griner’s potential defensive impression was clear from a younger age; as a freshman at Baylor, her 223 blocks set the all-time single-season document in NCAA historical past.
That defensive prowess seamlessly translated to the WNBA. The 32-year-old was named Defensive Participant of the 12 months twice — in 2014 and 2015 — and was named the All-Defensive Staff seven instances — in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2019, and 2021.
She has the third-most profession blocks in WNBA historical past (766) and could possibly be just a few wholesome years away from first place. Margo Dydek, who was the tallest participant in WNBA historical past at 7’2, is all-time blocks chief in WNBA historical past with 877. If Griner can play late into her mid-thirties, she’s well-positioned to turn out to be the league’s all-time block chief. A doubtlessly longer WNBA season shifting ahead may additionally assist Griner’s case.
