Season opens sans Griner
The Phoenix Mercury opened the season at home Friday night against the Las Vegas Aces.
One player who wasn’t on the bench was prominently on everyone’s minds: Brittney Griner.
As the Mercury and the rest of the WNBA moved forward into the 2022 season, Griner was nearing the threemonth mark of her detention in Russia, with no timetable for her release.
“We all have concern for the situation, something that normally would be handled a lot quicker,” Washington coach Mike Thibault said before the Mystics played the Indiana Fever.
“It certainly hasn’t been and I think everybody sees what’s happening. She’s in everybody’s thoughts.”
Griner was detained on Feb. 17 after authorities at the Moscow airport said they found vape cartridges that allegedly contained oil derived from cannabis in her luggage.
The alleged offense could carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison under Russian law.
The Biden administration determined Griner is being wrongfully detained and she has a hearing set for May 19.
The WNBA will honor Griner with a floor decal with her initials on her No. 42 in arenas across the league as she continues to be detained.
Griner is a six-time All-Star and won consecutive WNBA Defensive Player of the Year awards in 2014-15.
Friday’s games
Mystics 84, Fever 70: Elena Delle Donne had 21 points and nine rebounds in her first season- opening game since 2018 and Washington beat visiting Indiana to begin the season. Delle Donne played just three games the previous two seasons because of COVID-19 concerns and back issues. The former league MVP was 8 of 16 from the floor.
Sparks 98, Sky 91: Jordin Canada had 21 points and 8 assists in her Los Angeles debut and Nneka Ogwumike added 19 points as the visiting Sparks opened the season with an overtime victory against defending champion Chicago. Canada also made three key free throws to tie it at 88-88 with 1.5 seconds left in regulation.