Tue | Nov 12, 2024

Griner honoured to wear US basketball jersey again

Published:Tuesday | July 23, 2024 | 12:09 AM
From left: Brittney Griner, Diana Taurasi, and Chelsea Gray, of Team USA, walk on the court prior to a WNBA All-Star basketball game against Team WNBA, on Saturday.
AP
From left: Brittney Griner, Diana Taurasi, and Chelsea Gray, of Team USA, walk on the court prior to a WNBA All-Star basketball game against Team WNBA, on Saturday.

PHOENIX (AP):

THERE WERE times Brittney Griner thought she would never wear a USA Basketball jersey again.

The two-time Olympic gold medallist was sitting in a Russian prison in 2022, sentenced to nine years in jail for drug possession and smuggling. Playing for her country again was a far-fetched idea at that point. Ten months later, she was free after a high-profile prisoner exchange.

Now, 19 months later, she’s suiting up for the US at the Paris Games – her first trip to play overseas since returning from Russia.

Griner, wearing her number-15 US jersey before the team played at the All-Star Game on Saturday, said she now gets chills putting it on.

“It means everything to me honestly,” Griner told The Associated Press in an interview.

“For me to now have the honour to wear it again and potentially win gold is icing on the cake for everything.”

Griner had gone to Russia to play basketball and supplement her WNBA income. She had done it for years. No more. The 33-year-old said she will only play in America unless USA Basketball asks her to play. Griner has dedicated a lot of time playing with the US team and feels 100 per cent safe when she’s with them.

“It’s different, we are so protected by the staff around us,” she said. “It’s different, it’s way different. The level of comfortability and security we have right now makes it a lot easier.”

It’s been a busy few weeks for Griner as her wife Cherelle gave birth to their son Bash on July 8. Griner said it was tough saying goodbye to him for a few weeks.

“We got some really cool photos before I left,” she said. “He doesn’t know anything right now, but one day it will be cool for him to have that footage. There’s so much footage.”

She will have her USA Basketball family to lean on while in Paris. Her teammates and coaches are thrilled to have her back playing for the US.

“That is something when you think about it. Think outside the Olympics, someone’s personal experience and what she went through and still continues to go through,” US coach Cheryl Reeve said.

“We were all thinking of BG when she was away and we didn’t know if this moment would be possible. I’m thrilled for her personally and thrilled for our basketball team.”