Brittney Griner Ejected During Game Against Dallas Wings

Brittney Griner left the court before her Atlanta Dream teammates during a game in Atlanta on Wednesday. The referees had ejected her after issuing two technical fouls in the second half.

The incident unfolded after Griner went for a rebound against Dallas Wings’ guard Haley Jones. Following a foul called on Griner, she approached the referee to discuss the call, which led to the initial technical foul. This exchange, it seems, got heated, and she apparently made physical contact with the official, prompting a second technical foul. Under WNBA rules, that second foul resulted in her automatic expulsion from the game.

After being thrown out, Griner made her way toward the locker room. She ended the night with 4 points and 4 rebounds.

Griner has played 25 games in her first season with the Dream after spending the first 11 years of her career with the Phoenix Mercury. Entering this game, she had been averaging 10.9 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, which are notably lower numbers compared to her previous All-Star seasons.

Interestingly, the Dream managed to maintain a lead after Griner’s departure, although the Wings fought back with a late 11-2 run. In the end, Dream forward Naz Hillmon sank a critical three-pointer in the final moments, securing an 88-85 victory. Paige Bueckers, the top pick in the WNBA draft, led the team with 21 points.

With this win, the Dream improved their record to 16-11 and currently sit behind only the defending champion New York Liberty in the Eastern Conference standings.