Report: Brittney Griner Ramping Up Training, ‘Looks Fantastic’ Ahead of WNBA Season | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

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WNBA star Brittney Griner is continuing her preparations ahead of the 2023 season.

ESPN’s Holly Rowe reported Wednesday that the seven-time All-Star trained at Phoenix Mercury’s training facility and “looked fantastic.” Rowe added that Griner is slowly ramping up and remains committed to a full return to the court.

Griner was detained in Russia for 294 days after her arrest at a Moscow airport in February 2022.

On December 8, President Joe Biden announced that the United States had agreed to a prisoner exchange that would allow the 32-year-old to return home. She was back on American soil a day later.

Given his ordeal, when or even if Griner would play in the WNBA again was far from fans’ primary concern once his release was secured. She left little doubt, however, in an Instagram post on Dec. 16.

“I also want to make one thing clear: I intend to play basketball for the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA this season, and in doing so, I look forward to being able to say ‘thank you’ to those of you who have defended, written, and posted for me in person soon,” she said.

Griner is a future Hall of Famer and has always been one of the most dominant players in the WNBA. In nine seasons, she averaged 17.7 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.8 blocks.

Officially, the 6’9″ center is a free agent, but it would be hard to imagine him playing anywhere but Phoenix in 2023. His work in town only reinforces that.