16 July 2023 , 18:57
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Brittney Griner came up with a hilarious excuse for missing a three-point shot during the WNBA All-Star game.
The Team Wilson All-Stars took on the Team Stewart All-Stars at the Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas. Griner was mic’d up at the time and was speaking to the TV commentators while she was playing.
With just over two minutes remaining in the first quarter, the 32-year-old received the ball and took a wide-open shot from beyond the arc. When she asked how much fun she was having, she said: “I’m having a blast!”, and after missing the three she joked: “There was something in my eye!”, as she ran back up the court.
In 26 minutes played, the center scored 18 points and 13 rebounds for Team Stewart, who sealed a 143-127 victory. Jewell Loyd was named the game’s MVP after scoring 31 points, setting a new record for points scored. She also connected on 10 three-pointers, another mark that hadn’t previously been reached.
This game marked Griner’s ninth All-Star selection and her first since 2021, after missing a chance to play in 2022 due to being detained in Russia. In front of a sell-out crowd post-game, Griner summed up what it meant to her to be back competing in the All-Star Game and the WNBA.
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“It meant everything to me,” she said. “I didn’t think that I would be here today, honestly but everybody sending letters, sending love, posting. I’m still seeing it to this day everything that everybody did. It really meant a lot to me, it gave me hope it made me not want to just give it up for anything, so it was this league that helped me out.”
Griner was sentenced to nine years in prison in early August after being found to be carrying cannabis oil. She was moved to a penal colony in Russia before being released as part of an organised prisoner swap with the United States in December. She returned to action in May 2022 and two months later took to the court for another All-Star game, and Griner could not be happier.
Brittney Griner played scored 18 points in the 2023 WNBA All-Star Game - her first since being detained in Russia last year (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Griner was on good form and joked about her miss (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)“I just love being here, I love competing, I love just doing everything for the fans,” Griner added. “They do everything for us. We wouldn’t be here without them,” Griner said. “I’m just honored to be on this court.
"I'm just happy to be here in this building. All-Star is just a fun time we all get to be together. Just being here with them after everything they did to support me through one of the toughest times it just means everything to be right here."
Following her record-breaking performance, Lloyd dedicated the performance to her parents, who recently celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary. "I didn't have a gift for their anniversary, so I think this will be acceptable," Loyd said. "I hope it is."