Atlanta Dream Coach Has Strong Words for Brittney Griner on Sunday
Brittney Griner returned to the court for the Atlanta Dream on Sunday on the court she called home for more than a decade.
Griner had missed three straight games due to a neck injury entering the Dream's game at Phoenix. Though her stat line did not match her usual numbers, she helped Atlanta earn a 74-66 victory over the Mercury, the team Griner spent her first 11 WNBA seasons playing for.
Atlanta coach Karl Smesko discussed the return of Griner after the game, declaring she had a great performance against one of the best teams in the WNBA.
"I thought BG was great," Smesko said. "She was moving great. She looked really good out there. Defensively, she was excellent. She was controlling the point. I thought really good first game back for her."
Griner finished the win over the Phoenix Mercury with two points, two rebounds and one assist. She played 13 minutes as Atlanta eased her back into action.
Griner is playing her first season with the Dream and is looking to help lead Atlanta to a WNBA title alongside stars Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray. Howard has also been out due to an injury.
While the Dream have dealt with several injuries and setbacks, they have the third-best record in the league. Griner is averaging 10.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
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