It appeared that Britney Griner was really focused on the officiating during a recent game.
Just before a halftime interview on CBS Sports, after her team, the Dream, secured an 83-75 victory, Griner, 34, briefly stepped away to express her frustrations with the officials, leading to a rather intense moment on air.
The specifics of her exchange with the referee are unclear, although she did conclude it by shouting, “F-King will get better.”
When she returned to the courtside interview, the nine-time All-Star quickly apologized for her outburst, saying, “Sorry, everything,” directly to the camera.
In terms of performance, Griner was the second-highest scorer for her team, contributing 15 points and eight rebounds while shooting 50% from the floor as the Dream improved to a 2-2 record.
This season marks Griner’s first with the Dream after an eleven-year stint with the Mercury, where she earned two Defensive Player of the Year awards and was part of a championship-winning team in 2014.
The Baylor graduate had previously faced some serious issues while playing overseas; in 2022, she was detained in Russia for nearly a year after being accused of bringing hashish oil into the country and later pled guilty to the charge.
Post-release, Griner shared her experiences from her time in Russia and mentioned that she has no intentions of returning there unless it’s to represent the U.S. in international competitions. “If I make that (U.S.) team, that’s the only time I’ll leave the U.S. soil, just to represent the U.S.,” she explained to reporters in 2023. “The reason many of us go is the wage gap.”
Griner reflected on the necessity for many players to pursue opportunities abroad, emphasizing that they often do so to earn better wages and support their families. She hopes for the continual growth of the WNBA to attract a wider audience and improve financial conditions for players.
Throughout her solid WNBA career, she has averaged 17.7 points and 7.4 rebounds. The Dream’s next game is against the Sun next Sunday at 3 PM.
