Brittney Griner promised she’d never play overseas basketball again unless it were for the U.S. national team. But now she is getting a chance to play during the WNBA offseason with a domestic league.
Griner will play in Unrivaled, a new 3-on-3 pro league based in Miami, as part of the Phantom BC team with Phoenix Mercury teammate Natasha Cloud. It will be her first time competing during the WNBA’s offseason since her detainment in Russia in 2022.
To help supplement her WNBA pay, Griner played in Russia during the offseason and made as much as $1.5 million a year.
“I feel like something was missing in my offseason; I was used to playing year-round,” Griner said during Tuesday’s media day. “I wanted to go back to working year-round. This is going to help me stay fresh, knocking all the dust off and being ready for when the (WNBA) comes back around.”
Why do WNBA players go to Russia? What you need to know
When Griner was returning to play in Russia in February 2022, she was jailed after being arrested on drug charges in a Moscow airport when customs officials said they found vape canisters with cannabis oil in her luggage. The U.S. State Department classified her as wrongfully detained in May 2022, and Griner was released in a prisoner exchange in December 2022.
The 34-year-old averaged 17.8 points and 6.6 rebounds last season as the Mercury reached the first round of the WNBA playoffs before being eliminated by the Minnesota Lynx.
Griner is an unrestricted free agent heading into next season but doesn’t plan to leave Phoenix. Griner and her wife, Cherellle, welcomed their son, Bash, in July, further establishing roots in Phoenix.
Now with Unrivaled launching this year, Griner has found a place to get ready for the upcoming Mercury season after training the last two offseasons in Phoenix.
“It’s going to challenge me to play a little bit differently,” Griner said. “I’ve been trying to evolve my game anyway, not just playing on the low post always. Stretching out, playing on the wing a little bit. I’m looking forward to showcasing that and being challenged as well. And then I’ll be in the best shape ever coming back [to Phoenix].”
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Brittney Griner competing in first offseason league since Russia
