As the national anthem played, Brittney Griner, adorned with her gold medal, placed her hand over her heart, tears streaming down her cheeks. The United States had just claimed victory over France, defeating them 67-66 in an exhilarating Olympic final at Bercy Arena, marking the final event of the Paris Olympics. The game kept spectators on the edge of their seats as France almost ended Team USA’s remarkable 60-game Olympic winning streak that dates back to 1992. Though Griner played less than five minutes and only scored four points, those statistics hardly mattered. Given her 293 days of detention in a Russian prison in 2022, the prospect of Griner being in Paris, celebrating a third Olympic gold medal in her illustrious career, seemed almost impossible.
“My country fought for me to get back,” Griner, who was released in a prisoner exchange in December 2022, remarked after the U.S. victory. “And I was able to bring home gold for my country. There’s just no greater feeling.”
Griner admitted she was surprised by her emotional reaction. “I thought I would get a little red eye,” she shared. Before the medals ceremony, she temporarily excused herself from the team celebration to collect her thoughts in a bathroom. “I just kind of had a moment, and got myself together,” she explained.
This Olympics experience was not without its challenges for Griner. It marked her first trip outside the U.S. since her release; she had been detained by Russian authorities in February 2022 while traveling to Yekaterinburg for her professional basketball commitments during the WNBA offseason. The team made the trip to Paris by train. “Last time I was on a train overseas, it was a prison train,” Griner reflected. “So that was a little rough. There were a few moments of like, ‘wow.’”
USA coach Cheryl Reeve expressed concern for Griner ahead of the Olympics. In February, Griner had opted out of joining the U.S. team for an Olympics qualifier in Belgium, suggesting she needed more time to heal. Reeve praised Griner’s ability to handle her emotions effectively. “When you see BG around the team, she’s O.K.,” Reeve noted. “But you know that inside, there’s a lot going on. But she always presents the very best version of herself.” Reeve encouraged everyone to continue checking in on Griner, acknowledging the unimaginable challenges she faced.
Diana Taurasi, Griner’s teammate with the Phoenix Mercury, praised her compassion, saying, “I always say she has the biggest heart I’ve ever been around. She cares about people, and that’s why so many people care about her.” Taurasi, who won her sixth Olympic gold medal, the most for any basketball player, added, “It wasn’t easy, and it’s still not easy for her. She still carries a big burden.”
At 33, Griner did not commit to pursuing Taurasi’s new gold medal record but left it open-ended as she’s already halfway there. “We’ll see,” she said. After the Olympics, her immediate focus will be on the WNBA, with back-to-back road games against the Chicago Sky and the Indiana Fever on August 16 and 17. “Going home to work some more,” she remarked.
Griner plans to take a few days at home in Arizona to recharge and spend time with her wife, Cherelle Griner, and their son Bash, who was born earlier in July.
“Just putting that goal next to him and hugging him,” Griner expressed, “yeah, that’ll be my way I celebrate.”