Photo: Christian Petersen/GettyBrittney Grineris officially back on the court.The WNBA player — who missed all of last season while she wasimprisoned in Russia for 10 months— played in her first preseason game since her return to the U.S., scoring 10 points and making three rebounds in her team’s 90-71 loss to the L.A. Sparks.“I didn’t think I would be sitting right here,” the 32-year-old WNBA star told reporters after the game, perSports Illustrated. “I didn’t think I would be playing basketball this quickly. Even coming back, I didn’t know how it was going to go getting back into it. I mean, I’m grateful to be here for sure. I’m not going to take today for granted, but it was a lot to take in.“Griner was asked what it felt like to hear the national anthem before the game started.“Hearing the national anthem, it definitely hit different,“Griner shared. “It’s like when you go for the Olympics, you’re sitting there, about to get gold put on your neck, the flags are going up and the anthem is playing, it just hits different.“She added: “Being here today … it means a lot.“Last week, Griner chatted with reporters at the Mercury’s media day about her return to the team and the impact her imprisonment has had on her life.The basketball star said she “didn’t think it could get that big,” regarding the worldwide coverage of her arrest and the ten months that would follow.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.As the Phoenix Mercury prepared for the start of a new WNBA season, Griner said it’s “a surreal feeling being back in” her Mercury jersey and in the team’s arena.Griner added, “I didn’t think that it would come this quickly, I was prepared for the long haul, but it’s so nice being here, being up here doing media again, wearing this jersey.“RELATED VIDEO:Brittney Griner Shares First Statement Since Release from Russian Custody: ‘Dug Deep to Keep My Faith’She added that the adjustment back to her everyday life has been “a little overwhelming,” perCNN.“It’s cool because now I’m able to reach even more people,” Griner said of her ability to “bring” new eyes to the WNBA, as well as “keep them aware” of the other detained Americans whose release she’s advocating for with her wife Cherelle.Griner is grateful for the “bigger outlet” that her situation has given her as she continues to “support others who are in need and don’t have the spotlight or the media coverage that they should be able to get,” according to CNN.
Photo: Christian Petersen/Getty
Brittney Grineris officially back on the court.The WNBA player — who missed all of last season while she wasimprisoned in Russia for 10 months— played in her first preseason game since her return to the U.S., scoring 10 points and making three rebounds in her team’s 90-71 loss to the L.A. Sparks.“I didn’t think I would be sitting right here,” the 32-year-old WNBA star told reporters after the game, perSports Illustrated. “I didn’t think I would be playing basketball this quickly. Even coming back, I didn’t know how it was going to go getting back into it. I mean, I’m grateful to be here for sure. I’m not going to take today for granted, but it was a lot to take in.“Griner was asked what it felt like to hear the national anthem before the game started.“Hearing the national anthem, it definitely hit different,“Griner shared. “It’s like when you go for the Olympics, you’re sitting there, about to get gold put on your neck, the flags are going up and the anthem is playing, it just hits different.“She added: “Being here today … it means a lot.“Last week, Griner chatted with reporters at the Mercury’s media day about her return to the team and the impact her imprisonment has had on her life.The basketball star said she “didn’t think it could get that big,” regarding the worldwide coverage of her arrest and the ten months that would follow.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.As the Phoenix Mercury prepared for the start of a new WNBA season, Griner said it’s “a surreal feeling being back in” her Mercury jersey and in the team’s arena.Griner added, “I didn’t think that it would come this quickly, I was prepared for the long haul, but it’s so nice being here, being up here doing media again, wearing this jersey.“RELATED VIDEO:Brittney Griner Shares First Statement Since Release from Russian Custody: ‘Dug Deep to Keep My Faith’She added that the adjustment back to her everyday life has been “a little overwhelming,” perCNN.“It’s cool because now I’m able to reach even more people,” Griner said of her ability to “bring” new eyes to the WNBA, as well as “keep them aware” of the other detained Americans whose release she’s advocating for with her wife Cherelle.Griner is grateful for the “bigger outlet” that her situation has given her as she continues to “support others who are in need and don’t have the spotlight or the media coverage that they should be able to get,” according to CNN.
Brittney Grineris officially back on the court.
The WNBA player — who missed all of last season while she wasimprisoned in Russia for 10 months— played in her first preseason game since her return to the U.S., scoring 10 points and making three rebounds in her team’s 90-71 loss to the L.A. Sparks.
“I didn’t think I would be sitting right here,” the 32-year-old WNBA star told reporters after the game, perSports Illustrated. “I didn’t think I would be playing basketball this quickly. Even coming back, I didn’t know how it was going to go getting back into it. I mean, I’m grateful to be here for sure. I’m not going to take today for granted, but it was a lot to take in.”
Griner was asked what it felt like to hear the national anthem before the game started.
“Hearing the national anthem, it definitely hit different,“Griner shared. “It’s like when you go for the Olympics, you’re sitting there, about to get gold put on your neck, the flags are going up and the anthem is playing, it just hits different.”
She added: “Being here today … it means a lot.”
Last week, Griner chatted with reporters at the Mercury’s media day about her return to the team and the impact her imprisonment has had on her life.
The basketball star said she “didn’t think it could get that big,” regarding the worldwide coverage of her arrest and the ten months that would follow.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
As the Phoenix Mercury prepared for the start of a new WNBA season, Griner said it’s “a surreal feeling being back in” her Mercury jersey and in the team’s arena.
Griner added, “I didn’t think that it would come this quickly, I was prepared for the long haul, but it’s so nice being here, being up here doing media again, wearing this jersey.”
RELATED VIDEO:Brittney Griner Shares First Statement Since Release from Russian Custody: ‘Dug Deep to Keep My Faith’
She added that the adjustment back to her everyday life has been “a little overwhelming,” perCNN.
“It’s cool because now I’m able to reach even more people,” Griner said of her ability to “bring” new eyes to the WNBA, as well as “keep them aware” of the other detained Americans whose release she’s advocating for with her wife Cherelle.
Griner is grateful for the “bigger outlet” that her situation has given her as she continues to “support others who are in need and don’t have the spotlight or the media coverage that they should be able to get,” according to CNN.
source: people.com
