Griner happy to be in Connecticut with the Sun

Brittney Griner held her press conference in Connecticut on Friday. (Photo courtesy Connecticut Sun)

There has been plenty of talk over the past few years of the difficulty of bringing free agents to Uncasville to play with the Connecticut Sun.

DeWanna Bonner came to the Sun in 2020 to try and get the Sun over the hump and win that elusive WNBA championship but it cost the team three first round draft picks to bring her to eastern Connecticut.

On Friday, the Sun introduced 10-time WNBA All-Star and WNBA champion Brittney Griner, who signed a one-year deal to play in Connecticut this summer – the final season of the franchise in the WNBA before it moves to Houston in 2027.

Griner, the 6-foot-9 center, wants to be here.

“I’m a person that likes to make a decision and stick with it,” she said. “After speaking with coach (Rachid Meziane), speaking with (general manager) Morgan (Tuck) and other people around the team, it was an easy decision for me.

“I know what the fan base is here,” she said. “Fans always turn out for the games and I’ve made some friends here.”

“Seeing the reaction and how much the fans and people around here love the Connecticut Sun, why would you not want to play for them?

Griner is the team’s biggest off-season splash that saw the Sun acquired Diamond Miller in a trade with Dallas and resign Olivia Nelson Ododa.

Griner played 11 years in Phoenix before signing with Atlanta last season. She saw limited minutes with the Dream, averaging 9.8 points and 5.2 rebounds a game. That shouldn’t be the case with a young Sun team.

“I hope to bring a veteran presence,” she said. “I still feel like I’m young, still feel like I got youth in these legs. So, I’m looking to get out, run and do all that and play at a fast pace with the younger group. I feel like I bring a positive attitude to things. I try to look at things from a different aspect. We all know I’ve been through trials and tribulations. So, when things get rough, I think I know how to pull through and find the silver lining.”

Sun General Manager Morgan Tuck, left, Brittney Griner, center and head coach Rachid Meziane are all smiles on Friday in Uncasville (Photo courtesy Connecticut Sun)

The Sun had a franchise-worst record of 11-34 a year ago. They hope Griner, even at the age of 35, can help improve on that.

“It’s definitely going to be an emotional season,” Griner said. “Something was built here that was rich and done the right way. And fans, you know, they don’t want to see it go, and I can respect that. And that’s why we’re going to do best we can to give them an amazing performance this season and highlight them, highlight the fans, highlight the players that came before us that made it possible.”

Griner was the No. 1 pick in the 2013 WNBA draft by Phoenix, helping the Mercury win their third WNBA championship in 2014. She was the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2014 and 2016 and a three-time WNBA First Team selection (2014, 2019, 2021).

Griner has won three gold medals with the U.S. at the Olympics (2016, 2021, 2024) and two gold medals with the Americans in the FIBA World Cup (2014 and 2018).