Brittney Griner returns to the basketball courtroom after her arrest in Russia

Brittney Griner made his long-awaited return to the basketball courtroom Friday evening after his 10-month detention in Russia final yr, but it surely did not have the ending his followers had hoped for.

The Phoenix Mercury middle nonetheless had 10 factors and three rebounds because the Mercury fell to the LA Sparks by a rating of 90-71 within the WNBA preseason recreation.

Griner solely performed for 17 minutes, however she made probably the most of it, and her teammates had been excited to see her again on the courtroom, hugging and high-fiving one another whereas additionally thumping one another on the chest.

The crowd was delighted to see Brittney…they erupted in applause when her title was introduced for the primary time contained in the Footprint Center in Phoenix.

After the sport, Griner informed reporters that she was “grateful” to have the chance to play once more and wouldn’t take a single day as a right.

He additionally mentioned that he had a unique expertise listening to the nationwide anthem earlier than the sport began.

“Hearing the national anthem is definitely different,” he mentioned, including: “It’s like when you go to the Olympics.”

Criticizing his efficiency on the courtroom, Griner defined, “Not the place I would like him to be, however heading in the right direction. We’re making the correct strikes.”

But, given what Griner has been by, it should have felt like a win in some methods.