The Phoenix Mercury announced on Saturday (July 29) that their star player, Brittney Griner, won’t be traveling with the team on its upcoming two-game road trip in an effort to focus on her mental health. Sunday’s game against the Chicago Sky and Tuesday’s matchup with the Indiana Fever won’t have her there.
According to ESPN, The Mercury declared in a statement that “The Mercury fully support Brittney and we will continue to work together on a timeline for her return.”. Around five months before the mental health leave of absence, the team announced her return to the WNBA following a 10-month detention on drug-related charges in Russia.
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As a result of his detention at Sheremetyevo International Airport in February 2022, Griner was held for 294 days after being given a nine-year prison sentence in Russia in August. She was released on December 9 following her participation in a prisoner exchange between Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin.
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After arriving home a week later, she made her full intention to return to basketball known in her first public remarks. With the signing of a new one-year contract in February, she became formally affiliated with the team for the 2023 campaign. She made her full comeback on May 19 during a matchup with the Los Angeles Sparks.
Although she has been astounded by the love and support bestowed upon her, there have been times when her detractors have put her to the test, including a terrifying encounter on June 10. As she made her way through an airport, she was being harassed and followed by YouTube star Alex Stein.
Stein himself recorded a video of Brittney Griner being questioned by him about her time in Russia, including whether or not she “had sex with Vladimir Putin,” before being let go. As the situation became out of control and law enforcement arrived, the man was tackled. Happily, no one was hurt or harmed.
On June 26, Griner said, “I think we should have already had the opportunity to use a different airline, a more private airline, charter flights. I’d rather wait for something to happen before making changes, so it’s unfortunate that things have to get to this bad. What that thing will be is a mystery to you.
What is the current performance level of Brittney Griner?
Brittney Griner missed the entirety of the 2022 season while imprisoned in Russia, so the entire WNBA had been waiting for the day she would return to the regular season, which finally happened on May 19. Over the next two months, she quickly regained her form and proved to everyone why she was a former All-Star and winner.
She has taken part in 20 of the team’s 23 games so far this season. Despite the fact that the team has struggled for the majority of the season, Griner has been outstanding, averaging 18 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, 0 steals, and 1 point 7 blocks in 28 minutes per game. She was selected as an All-Star starter last month.
In her last 15 games, Griner scored at least 20 points in nine of them and at least 15 points in 12 of them between May 19 and July 9. However, the superstar’s performance over the previous five games hasn’t been as strong as it once was as she only scored 15 points in one of those games and is only averaging 13 points overall.
We must respect her request for time off even though it is unknown whether her mental health has affected how she performed. She made it clear that she needs to take some time off. She will have millions of fans all over the world who will stand by her in both good and bad times.
