Acheered on and cheered on by US Vice President Kamala Harris as a guest star, basketball superstar Brittney Griner celebrated her comeback in the women’s professional league WNBA on a “day of joy” after her return from Russian captivity. 579 days after her last WNBA appearance, the two-time Olympic champion for Phoenix Mercury was back on the floor in a league game at the start of the season with the Los Angeles Sparks. Tennis legend Billie Jean King and former Lakers star Magic Johnson were also in the audience.
“It felt good, really good,” said Griner on the hall microphone during a break in the game, adding with a wink: “Like the last time I played.”
Because of the ten months in Russian custody, Griner missed the entire past season. She was arrested at Moscow airport in February and convicted of possession of vape cartridges containing marijuana oil. She was released in December following a prisoner swap between the US and Russia. Friday’s game was her first WNBA game in 579 days. At that time she had lost the fourth game in the final series with Phoenix against Chicago Sky.
Solidarity and empathy for Griner
Before her comeback game, the 32-year-old had flown to the hearts of the audience. When Griner immediately won the tip-off for Phoenix, Harris and the fans in the stands gave enthusiastic applause, showing solidarity and empathy for Griner. After her four points to give the guests a temporary 7-0 lead, the two-time world champion was denied a victory to crown her comeback: Phoenix lost 71:94.
Star guest: Secretary of State Kamala Harris (right), with Sparks attacker Nneka Ogwumike
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Image: AFP
“The love from the fans when I came out was extraordinary,” Griner said afterwards. Despite her 18 points, six rebounds and four blocks, she wasn’t satisfied. “It wasn’t good enough to win.” On Harris’ visit, Griner said, “That was great. It was nice to be able to talk to her face to face and say thank you. The team really enjoyed her coming too.”
Against the background of Harris’ visit to the Mercury cabin before the game started, however, the result was a minor matter. “I know your support for Brittney means a lot to you. Times were tough, but a team is a team and sticks together like a family,” Deputy President Joe Biden said in the dressing room.
Guest trainer Vanessa Nygaard Griner commented highly emotionally on her return: “It’s a day of joy and this season will be a year of joy, love and happiness for us. Every spectator of this game is a witness to a miracle.”
Not least because of the Biden administration’s successful efforts to get Griner released, Nygaard also emphasized the political dimension of the case: “We brought back a woman, a black and homosexual woman from a Russian prison, and America did it out of respect for her.”
Griner reported that many little things mean more to her since then, “because tomorrow is simply not guaranteed”. However, she also has to make sure “that I don’t get too distracted by everything. I’m here to work. I can feel it, but I also have to put it aside.”
