One of the biggest questions entering the WNBA season was how Brittney Griner would fare in her return after missing all of last season while spending nearly 10 months in a Russian prison. Early in the second quarter against the Los Angeles Sparks Sunday evening, the Phoenix Mercury star delivered her most emphatic answer yet.
After sealing Azura Stevens on the high side in the post, Griner took an entry pass from Sug Sutton, drop-stepped towards the basket and threw down her first dunk of the season.
That was the best moment from one of the best performances Griner has produced this summer. She finished with 29 points and 11 rebounds on 12 of 18 from the field to help the Mercury snap a three-game losing streak with a 78-72 victory over the visiting Sparks.
The shorthanded Sparks had no answer for Griner around the basket. She converted on all seven shots at the rim and was 10 of 13 in the paint overall. Whether she was posting up, rolling to the basket or grabbing offensive rebounds for putbacks, it was all too easy for Griner.
Griner’s summer has not been perfect. She missed three games in June due to a hip injury and during a road trip out of Dallas on June 10, she was accosted at…
