Ahead of Team USA’s season opener, SB Nation will be introducing each of the 12 members of the U.S. Olympic women’s basketball team this week. Here’s what you need to know about longtime defensive mainstay and two-time gold medal winner Brittney Griner.
Fast Facts
team: Phoenix Mercury (13-12)
2024 Regular Season Statistics: 18.3 points (56%), 6.4 rebounds, 1.4 blocks
position: Center
Draft Class: 2013, No. 1
All-Star Selection: 10 (2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)
Past Olympic Games: Two-time Olympic Gold Medalist (2016, 2020)
CollegeBaylor University – won the NCAA Championship in 2012
Griner is especially proud to be playing for the U.S. after spending a year in captivity in Russia.
Brittney Griner was arrested for possession of less than a gram of hash oil for medical use while playing international basketball in the Russian Premier League. After 10 months of uncertain and public detention, she was released in a highly publicized prisoner swap for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.
This will be her first Olympic competition since her detention, a year and a half after she returned to the U.S. Griner has already won two gold medals, but she told reporters that the chance to represent the U.S. now after her detention is even more special.
“It’s always meant everything to me,” Griner said. Andscape“My dad fought for our country. He’s a Marine. So we’ve always cared about our country, but now it’s even more so. Our country really did save my life, so to be able to represent my country again means a lot.”
In his book, Griner details his experiences in Russia and his subsequent readjustment. Go homewas released in May 2024. Diana Taurasi, who was Griner’s teammate throughout her WNBA career, praised her achievement in competing in the Olympics.
“What BG has been through over the last few years is obviously unprecedented,” Taurasi said. Via GMA Network“For her to come home and get on a plane and come overseas was a big moment for her in a lot of ways, but I’m happy she did it because she’s an incredible person.”
Brittney Griner has more dunks than any other player in the WNBA
Griner dunked 26 times during the game, a feat that no other player in the WNBA has accomplished. TwiceIn fact, she became the first player in history to win in her first professional match.
The only other active player to dunk in a game is Jonquel Jones of the Liberties.
But the 6-foot-9 center has been able to dunk since he was a senior in high school. Compilation YouTube Video Her teenage dunk video has been viewed an astounding 6.6 million times, and while her impact on women’s soccer goes beyond dunking, Griner has completely changed how women perceive dunking.
She doesn’t dunk every game, but last year Dunked twice At the All-Star Game.
“I called Knee over, talked to him, gave him a few words of encouragement,” she later said. From Just Women Sports.
In her prime, Griner was one of the best defensive players in WNBA history.
Griner’s potential defensive impact was evident from a young age: Her 223 blocks as a freshman at Baylor set an NCAA single-season record.
Her defensive prowess has also been on full display in the WNBA, where the 32-year-old was named Defensive Player of the Year twice, in 2014 and 2015, and was named to the All-Defensive Team seven times, in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2019 and 2021.
She has the third-most career blocks in WNBA history (766) and, if healthy, could be number one in a few years. The tallest player in WNBA history, Margo Dydek, stands at 7’2″ and is the WNBA’s all-time leader in blocks with 877. If Griner can play into her mid-30s, she could very well become the league’s all-time leader in blocks. Potentially longer If the WNBA season moves forward, Griner’s position may be in better shape.
