Twenty-four hours before Game 3 between the Lakers and the Nuggets, the Crypto.com Arena was the scene last night of Brittney Griner’s comeback in an official match. The former prisoner of the Russian authorities had attracted the crowd of the great evenings with more than 10,000 spectators in the room, including outstanding personalities like Kamala Harris, the vice-president of the United States, Magic Johnson, Darvin Ham, the coach of the Lakers or former tennis champion and WNBA boss Cathy Engelbert.
Greeted by a standing ovation, the star of the Phoenix Mercury did not prevent his training from losing heavily to the Sparks (94-71). But on an individual level, she reassured and reassured herself with 18 points, 6 rebounds and 4 blocks in 25 minutes. After spending 10 months in a jail, it’s remarkable, and before the meeting, Kamala Harris went to the locker room to thank the players for their support during her detention.
“It’s a miracle she’s here”
“Thank you for everything you have done to support Brittney. I know it was brutal and so difficult” said Joe Biden’s right-hand man. Thanks that Nneka Ogwumike, the Sparks player and president of the players’ union, sent back: “There’s a game tonight, but we’re also celebrating the return of one of our own, and what the Biden administration has done to make that happen is really important. We know it hasn’t been easy, but we want to thank you for allowing us to play against BG tonight. I didn’t expect her to play again so quickly, and I just want her to be happy and healthy.”
After weeks and months of anguish, it was therefore time for smiles and relief. “In all the cities we went to last year, only Brittney was spoken”recalls Vanessa Nygaard, the Mercury coach. “This year, it will be a story of joy, of happiness, of a ‘welcome back’. I think this positive energy will help our team. I am very happy that she has returned home. It’s a miracle she’s here. BG represents so many things, so many different people who can be underestimated in our society. She even uses her platform to bring others home.
