Brittney Griner is leaving the Phoenix Mercury after 11 years with the group, ESPN’s Alexa Philipou first reported late Tuesday night time.
Her vacation spot? The Atlanta Dream. Griner agreed to a one-year cope with the Dream that gained’t be made official till Saturday. Her determination to go away Phoenix and head to Atlanta comes only a few hours after it was reported that longtime Connecticut Solar star Alyssa Thomas was headed to Phoenix as a part of a large commerce.
(The Solar will obtain Natasha Cloud, Rebecca Allen, and the 2025 No. 12 general decide from the Mercury, and in addition ship Ty Harris to Phoenix).
Brittney Griner heads to the Phoenix Mercury
At 34 years outdated, Griner isn’t fairly the pressure she as soon as was — however she’s nonetheless one of many WNBA’s elite facilities, having averaged 17.8 factors, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per recreation final season. Griner is without doubt one of the league’s prime rim protectors and a formidable presence within the put up, who was one of the vital highly-regarded free brokers in the marketplace.
Griner had been linked to a number of organizations, together with the Las Vegas Aces, however as a substitute lands in Atlanta, who was 15-25 final season. That Dream had been riddled with accidents final yr, however have an opportunity at establishing a brand new core round Rhyne Howard, Allisha Grey, Jordin Canada, and Griner subsequent season. Howard averaged 17.3 factors final season, Grey averaged 15.6 factors, and Canada averaged 10.6 factors and 5.8 assists.
All 4 gamers are at the moment enjoying in Unmatched, the brand new skilled 3-on-3 ladies’s basketball league in Miami, although Griner isn’t at the moment teammates with any of her future Dream teammates. The Dream will even have a brand new head coach subsequent season, longtime FGCU coach Karl Smesko, who will exchange Tanisha Wright, who was fired this fall.
At Unmatched, Griner is a member of the Phantom Membership, alongside Natasha Cloud. However, whereas each had been anticipated to put on Mercury jerseys subsequent seasons, each will now play for brand-new organizations.
Unmatched helped facilitated Griner’s free company announcement
Griner first spoke about her determination to hitch the Dream in a video of her fishing with Howard, Canada, and Grey on her day without work in Miami.
“Free company has been all the pieces I wished it to be,” Griner mentioned whereas on a ship with the Dream trio. “I used to be capable of finding the place I wished to go, and truthfully, what led me to that call finally was the staff, the gamers as people, and in addition my household. I’m thrilled for this chapter.”
Griner acknowledged that the selection to go away Phoenix was a tough one.
“You’re leaving what — what I’ve recognized for my complete profession,” Griner mentioned. “However, there’s additionally the excited issue of — this is sort of a rebrand now. I get to indicate one thing completely different.”
