MAX SPORTS: Brittney Griner

Showing posts with label Brittney Griner. Show all posts

Thursday, 26 September 2024

NAPHEESA COLLIER DROPS 42 TO TIE RECORD AS LYNX SWEEP MERCURY

MINNEAPOLIS -- Napheesa Collier scored 42 points to tie a WNBA single-game playoff record, and the Minnesota Lynx swept the Phoenix Mercury 101-88 on Wednesday night.

Collier tied Breanna Stewart and Angel McCoughtry for the 42-point record when she made one of two free throws with 3:18 left in the fourth quarter. It was one of only two misses from the free throw line in 14 attempts for Collier, who was subbed out with 58.3 seconds left.

Collier, who scored a career-high 38 points in Game 1, became the first player in WNBA history with 38-plus points in back-to-back playoff games. She also set a WNBA record for the most points (80) in a two-game playoff stretch. Collier reached 38 points in Game 2 with 5:55 left in the fourth.

Minnesota plays Sunday against Connecticut, which advanced to its sixth consecutive semifinals after an 87-81 victory over Indiana earlier Wednesday.

Kayla McBride added 15 points, and Bridget Carleton and Alanna Smith each scored 12 for Minnesota. Courtney Williams had 11 points.

Brittney Griner scored 24 points for Phoenix and Diana Taurasi finished with 10 before fouling out with 2:34 left. Taurasi left to a standing ovation from the Minnesota crowd before Collier came over to the Mercury bench for a brief handshake with her fellow former UConn star.

Taurasi hasn't announced whether this is her final year in the WNBA, but the Mercury honored her at their final home regular-season game.

Collier scored 11 of Minnesota's 21 first-quarter points after making five of six shots. Collier finished the half with 23 points on 8-of-12 shooting to help Minnesota take a 49-47 lead into the intermission. The rest of her teammates combined to go 10 of 26 from the field.

The officials reviewed a physical play in the third quarter involving Carleton and Phoenix guard Sophie Cunningham, who was assessed a flagrant 1 foul after the review. Williams was also assessed a technical foul. After it was all settled, McBride sank a wide open 3-pointer to give Minnesota a 58-53 lead.

Williams gave Minnesota its first double-digit lead of the second half at 72-60 with 2:17 left in the third quarter. The Lynx led by double digits the entire fourth quarter.

Minnesota improved to 5-1 against the Mercury this season.

It was Collier's third straight playoff game overall with 30 points, tying the A'ja Wilson for the longest streak in WNBA history, after scoring 31 points in a Game 3 loss to Connecticut last season.

- Associated Press

Wednesday, 12 June 2024

US BASKETBALL NAMES 12-MEMBER. WOMEN'S ROSTER FOR PARIS

Reuters

USA Basketball announced a veteran roster for the upcoming Paris Olympics, boasting a squad where each member has at least an Olympics or World Cup gold medal.

The Phoenix Mercury's Diana Taurasi was named to her sixth Olympics, with 38 Olympics basketball games to her credit, the most of any women's player in USA Basketball history. She is second in Olympics points scored (414) behind Lisa Leslie (488).

The team, which consists entirely of players from the WNBA, also includes Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx), Kahleah Copper (Mercury), Chelsea Gray (Las Vegas Aces), Brittney Griner (Mercury), Sabrina Ionescu (New York Liberty), Jewell Loyd (Seattle Storm), Kelsey Plum (Aces), Breanna Stewart (Liberty), Alyssa Thomas (Connecticut Sun), A'ja Wilson (Aces) and Jackie Young (Aces).

Cheryl Reeve is the head coach of the team, after serving as an assistant coach the past two Olympics under Geno Auriemma (2016) and Dawn Staley (2020).

"We were supposed to be giving Cheryl a team that has experience and familiarity with international competition, familiarity with the coaching system, leadership abilities, versatility, depth at every position," national team committee chair Jen Rizzotti told The Athletic. "The 12 that we selected, we felt were the best when it boiled down to a basketball decision."

Not included was collegiate star Caitlin Clark, who took Iowa to the Final Four in consecutive seasons and is in her rookie WNBA season with the Indiana Fever.

"Certainly, the success that Caitlin had in college in addition to the way that she's played in the beginning parts of the (WNBA) season was taken into consideration as we talked about this roster, but I think out of respect for the process, we tried to make sure we upheld our integrity when it came to selecting the roster," Rizzotti told The Athletic.

"Marketability, popularity, TV viewership, jersey sales was not something that we were supposed to be measuring."

Clark addressed the pending roster decision Sunday.

"Honestly, no disappointment," Clark said. "It just gives me something to work for; it's a dream. Hopefully one day I can be there.

"I think it's just a little more motivation. You remember that. Hopefully when four years comes back around, I can be there."

Taurasi, Collier, Gray, Griner, Loyd, Stewart and Wilson all were in the 2020 Olympics squad in Japan that went 6-0 while winning the gold medal. Wilson and Griner each scored 16.5 points per game in Japan, while Stewart had 10.0 rebounds per game.

Plum and Young also won a gold medal at Japan, but that was in the inaugural three-on-three tournament.

Staley also was on the committee that selected the roster, in addition to the WNBA's Bethany Donaphin, Atlanta Dream general manager Dan Padover of the Atlanta Dream, LSU assistant coach Seimone Augustus and Old Dominion head coach DeLisha Milton-Jones.

The USA women's team will have training camp at Phoenix then play an exhibition game against a team of WNBA all-stars on July 20. The squad also is set to play an exhibition game against Germany on July 23 at London.

Team USA opens Olympics group play at Paris against Japan on July 29 before facing Belgium on Aug. 1 and Germany on Aug. 4.

- Reuters

Tuesday, 14 May 2024

GRINER OUT INDEFINITELY WITH TOE FRACTURE

USA TODAY Sports

Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner has sustained a toe fracture on her left foot and will be out indefinitely, the WNBA team said on Monday.

Griner, who was freed from a Russian penal colony in a high-profile prisoner exchange in December 2022, will be re-evaluated in the coming weeks and Phoenix said updates on her condition would be provided as appropriate.

The WNBA's 2024 season opens on Tuesday with four games, including Phoenix at the reigning champion Las Vegas Aces.

Griner was arrested in February 2022 at an airport outside Moscow for carrying vape cartridges containing hashish oil in her luggage.

She was subsequently convicted of drug smuggling and later transferred to one of Russia's most notorious penal colonies.

Griner was eventually released in a prisoner swap for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, a deal that was arranged after months of talks during a time of high tension between the U.S. and Russia after Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

In her first season back, Griner averaged 17.5 points and 6.3 rebounds per game in 2023.

Monday, 6 May 2024

BRITTNEY GRINER STILL ADJUSTING AFTER RUSSIAN PRISON ORDEAL. WNBA STAR ORDEALS EXPERIENCE IN BOOK

AP Photo

Brittney Griner continues her efforts to settle into a normal routine following her release from a Russian prison 17 months ago.

Life isn't what it once was for the perennial WNBA All-Star.

The 6-foot-8 center looks different and has different priorities. Gone are her familiar dreadlocks that couldn't be maintained during her incarceration. She regularly sees a therapist to help her cope after being imprisoned for 10 months. And since her release, Griner has been an advocate for the return of other Americans detained overseas.

She has met with President Joe Biden twice since her release, including once last month in Phoenix.

“Got to talk to him about a couple of people and just keep it on the forefront of everyone’s mind,” the Phoenix Mercury star said in a phone interview with The Associated Press. “You want to get exposure and that keeps it on the forefront of people’s minds. Keep people accountable.”

Griner was detained at a Moscow airport in February 2022. Russian authorities said a search of her luggage revealed vape cartridges containing oil derived from cannabis.

She shares details about the harrowing experience in her new book — “Coming Home” — which comes out Tuesday.

AP Photo

Griner hopes one takeaway for anyone who reads the book will be a vivid picture of what detainees have to endure. She said it's why it took her all of last season to write it with Michelle Burford.

“I didn’t leave anything out from the detainment, to being over there, the conditions. As much as we could fit into a book, we basically did,” Griner said. “People will be shocked at some of the things.

"I hope it brings a little bit more of an understanding to the conditions that detainees go through.”

Griner says it is important people have a clear picture of what it's like for those Americans not home yet, including Paul Whelan and Evan Gershkovich, so that no one gives up the fight.

“It took everyone to come together to bring me home,” she said. Government officials "have to make really hard decisions.”

Griner, who first met President Biden at the White House Correspondent's dinner in 2023 a few months after her return to the U.S., said she and her WNBA teammates must keep the momentum going to get everyone home.

“How are we going to do it? Bringing in families, playing videos, give them airtime?" she said. "Maybe someone that doesn’t know, sees (the book) and they write a letter to Congress that tips over the scale to get someone home.”

Griner said her days of playing basketball overseas during the WNBA offseason are over.

Though many WNBA players still play in international leagues to supplement their league salaries, Griner said she is done, except with USA Basketball. She hopes to be on the Olympic team at the Paris Games this summer, and the odds are in her favor that will happen.

AP Photo

Griner had played in China for a few years during the WNBA offseason, before making the move to Russia — where she had played since 2015 before her arrest.

It’s not just her ordeal in Russia, however, that is going to keep her home. Griner's wife, Cherelle, is expecting the couple’s first child.

“The only time I’ll go overseas is with Team USA,” Griner said. “I need to be in the states. About to be a parent. Last thing I want to do is be in and out of my kid’s life. I want to be there for everything. I don’t want to uproot my family and take them overseas with me. It’s too much.”

Griner, who has been an advocate for mental health for the past decade, said she sees a therapist regularly — something she did for several years before she went to Russia — and it helps her process what she endured while in prison.

“They are instrumental to my mental health,” Griner said about her sessions. “Everyone can benefit from having someone to talk to. Someone outside of their every day life. It just helps to have a different perspective on life from someone.

"That way if you do feel nervous or struggling with something, it’s very beneficial.”

The 33-year-old took a mental health break for several days last year during the WNBA season, missing three games. She'll begin her 12th year in the league May 14.

Griner is looking forward to it after the welcome she received in her return last year. One of the only positives that Griner will take away from her ordeal was the outpouring of support she received from people in the form of letters they wrote to her in prison.

“The letters were amazing from the fans, teammates, opponents, GMs, they all meant so much to me,” she said. “It was very dark at times, especially going through the trial. When I was in isolation for weeks, it was an emotional rollercoaster and those letters made me remember that I wasn't forgotten.”

- DOUG FEINBERG

Thursday, 2 May 2024

BRITTNEY GRINDER 'WANTED TO TAKE MY LIFE L' WHILE JAILED IN RUSSIA

Brittney Griner. PHOTO: GOOD MORNING AMERICA/YOUTUBE

PHOENIX -- WNBA star Brittney Griner said she thought about killing herself during her first few weeks in a Russian jail after her 2022 arrest on drug-related charges.

Griner spoke for the first time about her monthslong detention in Russia during an hourlong interview that aired Wednesday night on ABC's "20/20."

Griner's memoir, "Coming Home," is set to be released on May 7.

Griner was detained after arriving at a Moscow airport after Russian authorities said a search of her luggage revealed vape cartridges allegedly containing oil derived from cannabis.

"I wanted to take my life more than once in the first weeks," Griner told ABC's Robin Roberts. "I felt like leaving here so badly."

She decided against it in part because she was afraid the Russian authorities wouldn't release her body to her family.

Her plight unfolded at the same time Russia invaded Ukraine and further heightened tensions between Russia and the U.S. Griner was eventually freed in exchange for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.

Griner said before she was released, she was forced to write a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"They made me write this letter. It was in Russian," she said. "I had to ask for forgiveness and thanks from their so-called great leader. I didn't want to do it, but at the same time I wanted to come home."

She was disappointed when she got on the plane for the trade and Paul Whelan, another American who has been detained in Russia, wasn't with her.

"I walked on and didn't see him, maybe he's next. Maybe they will bring him next," she said. "They closed the door and I was like, are you serious? You're not going to let this man come home now."

Griner plays for the Phoenix Mercury. The WNBA season begins on May 14.

- Associated Press