WNBA superstar Brittney Griner is back on American soil and preparing for her upcoming season with the Phoenix Mercury.
And while Griner hasn’t yet ruled out a return to action with the USA women’s national basketball team, that day has yet to come.
The women’s national team is currently hosting a minicamp in preparation for the Paris games, and Griner isn’t yet participating. That doesn’t stop her from staying in touch with former teammate Dana Taurasi, who is participating in the camp.
“She wants to be a part of this like no one else,” Taurasi told the Associated Press. “So, she’ll get there eventually. She’ll find her footing.”
Griner spent nearly a year in Russian custody after pleading guilty to bringing a small amount of medical hashish oil aboard a domestic flight with her Russian Premier League team. The Russian government sentenced her to nine years in a maximum-security penal colony before President Joe Biden freed Griner in a controversial prisoner swap featuring a convicted arms dealer.
Taurasi says Griner is working to put that all behind her before returning to national action.
“We’ve been on the court together working out. We’ve sat down and talked for hours,” Taurasi said. “It’s been really nice to reconnect. It’s good to see her smile. Good to give her a hug. Know she was alive and still had the ability to be thankful and happy.”
Only time will tell if Griner will make her return or if we’ve seen her in a Team USA jersey.
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