Brittney Griner Sends Clear Message on Making Major WNBA Change
Veteran center Brittney Griner has accomplished a lot in her basketball career. But in 2025, the 34-year-old center will play for a WNBA team other than the Phoenix Mercury for the first time.
Griner signed with the Atlanta Dream in February. On Wednesday, she made her preseason debut with the club, posting an impressive stat line in just 19 minutes.
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Following that debut, Griner addressed changing teams in an Instagram post Thursday.
"This life was all a DREAM!" Griner wrote as a caption to a hype video. "Turn me up ATL."
Griner also included several emojis at the beginning and end of the caption.
Atlanta Dream center Brittney Griner© Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Griner scored 16 points with seven baskets on 11 shots versus the Washington Mystics in preseason action Wednesday. The center also had 10 rebounds, three assists and a block.
"BG turned up the heat in her first run with the Dream!" the WNBA X account posted after Griner's debut.
"From dominating in the paint to knocking down threes, she did it all!"
Griner joined the Dream after 12 years with the Mercury. While playing 11 seasons in Phoenix, she made the WNBA All-Star team nine times.
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The center won the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year award twice in back-to-back seasons during 2014 and 2015. Griner also helped lead the Mercury to the WNBA championship in 2014.
Last season, Griner earned an All-Star nomination with 17.8 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game.
The Dream have one more preseason game before the 2025 regular season opens. Atlanta will begin the regular season against the Mystics on Friday, May 16.
Griner will make her Dream regular season home debut on Thursday, May 22.
Related: WNBA Sends Strong Message on Brittney Griner
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