{"id":767876,"date":"2022-12-08T11:37:10","date_gmt":"2022-12-08T16:37:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.slamonline.com\/?p=767876"},"modified":"2022-12-08T12:38:15","modified_gmt":"2022-12-08T17:38:15","slug":"wnba-playersandcoaches-react-to-brittney-griners-coming-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.slamonline.com\/wnba\/wnba-playersandcoaches-react-to-brittney-griners-coming-home\/","title":{"rendered":"WNBA Players and Coaches React to Brittney Griner\u2019s Return Home"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>After 294 days of being wrongfully detained in Russia,\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.slamonline.com\/wnba\/brittney-griner-in-u-s-custody-after-successful-prisoner-swap\/\">Brittney Griner is finally coming home<\/a>. The WNBA superstar&#8217;s release garnered reactions across the W and the women\u2019s basketball world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The WNBA superstar&#8217;s release\u00a0has\u00a0garnered reactions across the W and the women\u2019s basketball world. From her Phoenix Mercury teammates to her many supporters, here&#8217;s what the hoops community has said about her return home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Phoenix Mercury<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">No more days. She\u2019s coming home \ud83e\udde1 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/HsjbdPfdn5\">pic.twitter.com\/HsjbdPfdn5<\/a><\/p>\u2014 Phoenix Mercury (@PhoenixMercury) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/PhoenixMercury\/status\/1600876308988248064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 8, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote> <script async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Brianna Turner<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Thank you to every single person that kept Brittney Griner\u2019s name alive <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/WEAREBG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#WEAREBG<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Ltx4PEFqAK\">https:\/\/t.co\/Ltx4PEFqAK<\/a><\/p>\u2014 Brianna Turner (@_Breezy_Briii) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/_Breezy_Briii\/status\/1600842465896198145?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 8, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote> <script async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Kia Nurse<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">BG is coming home!!!!!\ud83e\udd7a\ud83e\udd7a\ud83d\ude4f\ud83c\udffd\ud83d\ude4f\ud83c\udffd\ud83e\udd0d\ud83e\udd0d<\/p>\u2014 Kia Nurse (@KayNurse11) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/KayNurse11\/status\/1600860488455233536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 8, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote> <script async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Shay Peddy:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Went from FREE BG to BG is FREE!! Won\u2019t he do it! \ud83d\ude4c\ud83c\udffe<\/p>\u2014 Shey Peddy (@SheyP11) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SheyP11\/status\/1600861334379315201?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 8, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote> <script async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Lexie Brown<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">YALLLLL WOKE UP TO BG ON HER WAY HOME!!!!!!! THANK YOU GOD!!!<\/p>&mdash; Lexie Brown (@Lexiebrown) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Lexiebrown\/status\/1600844233451225092?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 8, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Brenna Stewart<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">BG is FREE!!! 294 days and she is coming home!!! \ud83d\ude2d\ud83e\udd0d\ud83d\ude4f\ud83c\udffb\u2764\ufe0f<\/p>&mdash; Breanna Stewart (@breannastewart) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/breannastewart\/status\/1600843953644834817?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 8, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Dearica Hamby<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">What a way to wake up!!! <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/8Wo3SU4aaz\">https:\/\/t.co\/8Wo3SU4aaz<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Dearica Marie Hamby (@dearicamarie) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/dearicamarie\/status\/1600862756898754562?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 8, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Rhyne Howard:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">We missed you BG \ud83e\udd79\ud83d\ude4c\ud83c\udffe<\/p>&mdash; Rhyne Howard \ud83e\udd1f\ud83c\udffe\ud83c\ude33 (@howard_rhyne) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/howard_rhyne\/status\/1600868264351268865?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 8, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Chelsea Gray<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Helll yea!!!! BG is free!! \u2764\ufe0f\u2764\ufe0f\u2764\ufe0f<\/p>&mdash; Chelsea Gray (@cgray209) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/cgray209\/status\/1600842396832780288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 8, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A&#8217;ja Wilson:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">BG \ud83e\udd79\ud83d\ude4f\ud83c\udffd God is so good<\/p>&mdash; A&#39;ja Wilson (@_ajawilson22) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/_ajawilson22\/status\/1600842666698149888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 8, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Jonquel Jones:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">When I tell you nothing could kill my vibe today! My sis is coming home \ud83d\ude4c\ud83c\udffe\ud83e\udef6\ud83c\udffe\ud83d\ude01<br><br>BG is FREE \ud83d\ude4c\ud83c\udffe\ud83e\udd79<\/p>&mdash; Jonquel Jones (@jus242) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/jus242\/status\/1600849888337866752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 8, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Sue Bird:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"in\" dir=\"ltr\">BG is Free \u2764\ufe0f <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/lsqsPJjnGI\">https:\/\/t.co\/lsqsPJjnGI<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Sue Bird (@S10Bird) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/S10Bird\/status\/1600862788343463937?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 8, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Eric Wheeler<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">BG!!! I am literally tearing up right now!!! Faith man!!!! Thank God!!! My heart just dropped!!! Thank you to everyone that pushed FREE BG \u2764\ufe0f<br>Today feels like a holiday! <br>HAPPY BG DAY! \ud83e\udef6\ud83c\udffe<\/p>&mdash; Erica Wheeler (@EWeezy_For3eezy) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/EWeezy_For3eezy\/status\/1600846583268081667?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 8, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Sydney Colson<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">TIL IT\u2019S BACKWARDS! Thank God BG is free, I know that\u2019s gotta be the best plane ride of her life \ud83d\ude4c\ud83c\udffe<\/p>&mdash; Sydney Colson (@SydJColson) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SydJColson\/status\/1600844449415942144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 8, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Griner\u2019s alma mater, Baylor University, also celebrated her release. Kim Mulkey, who coached BG at Baylor, told ESPN: \u201cGod is good. Prayers are powerful. Brittney is on her way home, where she belongs. Our prayers remain with her and her family as they recover and heal together.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Current Baylor coach Nicki Collen added, \u201cAfter nearly 10 months, we are thrilled and relieved to hear the long-awaited news of BG\u2019s return. Today is the day we\u2019ve been praying for, and we will continue to pray as she reunites with her family and begins recovering from her experience. Baylor family, she\u2019s coming home!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to players in the W and BG\u2019s former coaches, a range of women\u2019s basketball trailblazers and supporters reacted to the news of her release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Dawn Stal<\/strong>ey:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">God\u2019s grace is SUFFICIENT!  <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/brittneygriner?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@brittneygriner<\/a> is home!  I love you BG!<\/p>&mdash; dawnstaley (@dawnstaley) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/dawnstaley\/status\/1600839912466841602?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 8, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Chiney Ogwumike:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The best news to start our day with: finally, our sister BG is coming home!! <br><br>So grateful for all those who tirelessly worked to make this happen. Welcome home, Brittney!!!!<\/p>&mdash; Chiney Ogwumike (@chiney) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/chiney\/status\/1600847586725797888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 8, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Swin Cash:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">To GOD be the glory\u2764\ufe0f\ud83d\ude4f\ud83c\udffe <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/brittneygriner?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@brittneygriner<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Swin Cash (@SwinCash) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SwinCash\/status\/1600845748668534784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 8, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Holly Rowe:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Geno is ALL of us, next time we see \u2066<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/brittneygriner?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@brittneygriner<\/a>\u2069 \u2764\ufe0f<br>Welcome home! You are so loved! <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/0GeDwGvvXw\">pic.twitter.com\/0GeDwGvvXw<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Holly Rowe (@sportsiren) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/sportsiren\/status\/1600868121933389828?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 8, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Ari Chambers:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">BG and Cherelle being reunited for the holidays is so so special. BG, you matter. You\u2019re loved. Your life is so special.<\/p>&mdash; Arielle (Ari) Chambers (@ariivory) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ariivory\/status\/1600842624407310336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 8, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The NBA and WNBA also made official statements about Griner being released and heading home to be with her family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Cathy Engelbert:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The following statement was released in regards to Brittney Griner&#39;s return home: <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/p0D0nhaNDW\">pic.twitter.com\/p0D0nhaNDW<\/a><\/p>&mdash; WNBA (@WNBA) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WNBA\/status\/1600885759971819520?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 8, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote> <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Adam Silver:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">NBA Commissioner Adam Silver today issued the following statement regarding Brittney Griner: <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/9QFqWIn1a4\">pic.twitter.com\/9QFqWIn1a4<\/a><\/p>&mdash; NBA Communications (@NBAPR) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NBAPR\/status\/1600884315948257280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 8, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote> <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>After 294 days of being wrongfully detained in Russia,\u00a0Brittney Griner is finally coming home. The WNBA superstar&#8217;s release garnered reactions across the W and the women\u2019s basketball world. The WNBA superstar&#8217;s release\u00a0has\u00a0garnered reactions across the W and the women\u2019s basketball world. From her Phoenix Mercury teammates to her many supporters, here&#8217;s what the hoops community [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":492,"featured_media":767879,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[63826,62493,21,64136],"tags":[3928,1332,64826,64825,1863,63726],"yst_prominent_words":[],"class_list":["post-767876","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-newswire","category-wnba","category-wslam","tag-brittney-griner","tag-phoenix-mercury","tag-prisoner-swap","tag-release","tag-wnba","tag-wslam"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.slamonline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/767876","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.slamonline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.slamonline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.slamonline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/492"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.slamonline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=767876"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.slamonline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/767876\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":767901,"href":"https:\/\/www.slamonline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/767876\/revisions\/767901"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.slamonline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/767879"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.slamonline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=767876"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.slamonline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=767876"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.slamonline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=767876"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.slamonline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=767876"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}