Brittney Griner is sitting out the Phoenix Mercury’s recreation against the Indiana Fever on Tuesday, August 1.
The Phoenix Mercury shared a health replace forward of the sport by the use of Twitter, noting that Griner, 32, is “not with the crew” on Tuesday evening because of her “mental health.” Griner was once additionally absent from the Mercury’s showdown against the Chicago Sky on Sunday, July 30.
One day prior, the Phoenix Mercury shared a remark by way of Twitter saying that Griner would not play in the two games.
“Mercury center Brittney Griner will not travel with the team on its upcoming two-game highway commute to Chicago and Indiana (July 30-August 1) to focus on her psychological health,” the Saturday, July 29, statement read. “The Mercury absolutely strengthen Brittney and we will proceed to paintings in combination on a timeline for her go back.”
In February 2022, Griner was detained in Russia after a drug-sniffing dog allegedly discovered cannabis oil in her baggage. She was then held in a Russian prison for months until she finally returned home in that December — 10 months later.
“After months of being unjustly detained in Russia, held below insupportable instances, Brittney will quickly be again in the palms of her loved ones and she will have to were there all along,” President Joe Biden stated in a press convention at the time, along Britney’s spouse, Cherelle Griner, and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Brittney, for her phase, broke her silence quickly after. “It feels so excellent to be house,” she wrote by means of social media at the time. “The ultimate 10 months have been a struggle at each turn. I dug deep to stay my faith and it was once the love from such a lot of of you that helped stay me going. From the ground of my middle, thank you to everybody to your assist.”
Despite her harrowing revel in, Brittany was once adamant that she would play along with her crew upon returning home.
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“I additionally need to make one thing very clear: I intend to play basketball for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury this season,” she stated. “And in doing so, I stay up for being able to say ‘thank you’ to those of you who advocated, wrote, and posted for me in individual quickly.”
Five months after her homecoming, Brittney and Cherelle — who have been married since 2019 — attended the 2023 Met Gala together, color-coordinating in neutral tones. Both wore Calvin Klein.
Brittney has additionally performed with the Mercury during the 2023 season, which began in May. On June 25, she was named WNBA All-Star Starter.
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