Dream’s Brittney Griner leaves speaking engagement after bizarre note found on hotel room door

Atlanta Dream star Brittney Griner decided to pull out of a speaking engagement in Maryland this week after a bizarre note was found on her hotel room door, the event’s organizer confirmed to NBC News on Wednesday. 

“Brittney Griner arrived to be with us but felt unsafe because of threatening objects and words left inside her hotel room. For her safety, she chose to return home,” Women Grow CEO Chanda Macias said in a statement. “The Gaylord assured us that the conference and its guests were safe; they have represented that the threat at issue was a meme joke left by a prior guest and unfortunately missed by cleaning staff. 

“Regardless of whether this was a targeted attack or an unfortunate coincidence, the entire Women Grow community and I wholeheartedly support Brittney’s decision and stand with her at this time.”

Griner was scheduled to speak at the Women Grow 2025 Leadership Summit, which ran from Feb. 17-18, alongside former NFL star Ricky Williams. Women Grow is the “leading organization dedicated to fostering female leadership in the cannabis industry.”