Phoenix Mercury’s Brittney Griner will be absent from two upcoming WNBA games to prioritize her mental well-being, as stated by the team. The renowned WNBA star will miss the games scheduled in Chicago and Indiana during the current week, and the Mercury is in the process of determining the timeline for her return to the court.
In an announcement on social media, the Mercury expressed their full support for Griner’s decision to focus on her mental health during the road trip: “Mercury center Brittney Griner will not travel with the team on its upcoming two-game road trip to Chicago and Indiana (July 30-August 1) to focus on her mental health. The Mercury fully support Brittney and we will continue to work together on a timeline for her return.”
Mercury center Brittney Griner will not travel with the team on its upcoming two-game road trip to Chicago and Indiana (July 30-August 1) to focus on her mental health. The Mercury fully support Brittney and we will continue to work together on a timeline for her return.
— Phoenix Mercury (@PhoenixMercury) July 29, 2023
Griner, a seasoned WNBA all-star and Olympic gold medalist, recently returned to the league after her release from custody in Russia. She had been held in Russian prisons for approximately 10 months on drug charges before being freed in a high-profile prisoner exchange last December. Following her return home, Griner re-signed with the Phoenix Mercury, the team she had played for before her detainment. She made her official game-time appearance this season during the match against the Los Angeles Sparks in May and later participated in her first All-Star game since her return.
In her post-All-Star game speech, Griner expressed her gratitude for the support she received during her challenging times: “It meant everything to me. I didn’t think that I would be here today, honestly but everybody sending letters, sending love, posting. I’m still seeing it to this day everything that everybody did. It really meant a lot to me, it gave me hope it made me not want to just give it up for anything, so it was this league that helped me out.”