In response to sources who spoke to ESPN on Tuesday, 10-time WNBA All-Star Brittney Griner has signed to a one-year contract with the Atlanta Dream after enjoying with the Phoenix Mercury for 11 seasons.
Griner, who was chosen first total within the 2013 draft and performed her complete profession in Phoenix, is making one of many league’s most spectacular free company strikes to Atlanta.
Griner shared a video on Instagram Tuesday, Jan. 28, asserting the relocation. Contracts could be signed on Saturday, Feb. 1, which is when the signing can turn out to be official.
“You already know it was a tough choice,” Griner mentioned, “you’re leaving what you realize, what I’ve identified for my complete profession. However there’s additionally the thrilling issue of like “OK, this can be a rebrand now, I get to point out them one thing completely different.’ ”
The Mercury could possibly be with out Diana Taurasi for the primary time in 20 years if she decides to retire, however Griner‘s departure ushers in a brand new period for the workforce. Griner and Taurasi secured the franchise’s third and most up-to-date championship in 2014.
The 6-foot-9 heart was unfairly jailed in Russia for about 10 months, which triggered her to overlook the 2022 marketing campaign. After being launched in a well-publicized prisoner alternate, she was in a position to resume her All-Star standing in 2023 and 2024.
The biggest free-agent signing in Atlanta’s historical past, Griner is a six-time All-WNBA decide. She joins a workforce that additionally options Allisha Grey, for whom Atlanta traded in 2023, and Rhyne Howard, who was chosen first total by the Dream in 2022. This offseason, the workforce fired former coach Tanisha Wright and introduced in Karl Smesko from Florida Gulf Coast College to take over as head coach.
In response to sources who spoke to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, the Las Vegas Aces reportedly thought-about signing Griner as a part of their ongoing seek for an enormous participant to enhance A’ja Wilson. Nonetheless, after the Aces acquired former Seattle Storm guard Jewell Loyd in a three-team commerce, it turned clear they might put their free company consideration elsewhere.