As the national anthem resounded and the gold medal hung around her neck, Brittney Griner placed her hand over her heart, tears streaming down her face. The United States had just clinched a thrilling 67-66 victory against France at Bercy Arena in the Olympic final, marking the final event of the Paris Olympics. The game was a nail-biter, with France nearly snapping Team USA’s impressive 60-game Olympic winning streak that dates back to 1992. Griner contributed just under five minutes of playtime in the gold medal match, scoring four points, but the statistics were inconsequential. The fact that Griner could stand in Paris, celebrating her third Olympic gold medal, felt unthinkable during her darkest days in a Russian prison for 293 days in 2022.
“My country fought for me to get back,” Griner, who was released in a prisoner swap in December 2022, shared after the U.S. triumph. “And I was able to bring home gold for my country. There’s just no greater feeling.”
Griner’s emotional reaction took her by surprise. “I thought I would get a little red eye,” she said. Before the medal ceremony, she stepped away from the group celebration to collect herself in a restroom. “I just kind of had a moment and got myself together,” Griner recounted.
This Olympic experience was not easy for Griner, as it was her first trip outside the U.S. since her release. In February 2022, she was detained in Moscow while traveling to Yekaterinburg, where she played during the WNBA offseason. The team made the journey from London 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 about Griner’s mental state heading into the Olympics. Griner had opted out of joining the U.S. team for an Olympic qualifier in Belgium earlier in February. “Maybe she just needed a little more time,” Reeve suggested. She was impressed by Griner’s ability to compartmentalize her feelings. “When you see BG around the team, she appears okay,” Reeve noted. “But you know inside, there’s a lot going on. She always presents the very best version of herself.” Reeve urged everyone to continue checking in on Griner due to the unimaginable challenges she faced.
Diana Taurasi, Griner’s WNBA teammate with the Phoenix Mercury, commented on Griner’s big heart. “She cares about people, and that’s why so many people care about her,” said Taurasi, who secured her sixth Olympic gold medal on Sunday, the most for any basketball player. “It wasn’t easy, and it’s still not easy for her. She still carries a big burden.”
At 33, Griner has not made a commitment to chase Taurasi’s gold record, but she hasn’t dismissed it either, given that she’s already halfway there. “We’ll see,” Griner said. Her immediate focus after the Olympics will be on the Mercury’s back-to-back WNBA road games against the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever on August 16 and 17. “Going home to work some more,” she stated.
Following those games, Griner plans to spend a few days at home in Arizona to relax and enjoy quality time with her wife Cherelle Griner and their son Bash, born in early July.
“Just putting that goal next to him and hugging him,” Griner expressed, “yeah, that’ll be my way I celebrate.”