Brittney Griner is leaving the Atlanta Dream for the Connecticut Sun.
As a person familiar with negotiations told The Associated Press, the 35-year-old Griner is expected to ink a free-agent contract with the club, which is scheduled to move to her native Houston in 2027.
ESPN is reporting the deal is worth over $1 million – something made possible by the newly ratified collective-bargaining agreement that provides higher salaries for WNBA players. Earlier this week, Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young finalized the first $1 million contract in league history.
The 6-foot-9 Griner won a WNBA title with Phoenix, where she played for the first 11 seasons of her career. She’s also helped Team USA win gold in the last three Summer Olympics.
Last season she averaged just 9.8 points and 5.2 rebounds a game at age 35.
Griner was infamously arrested at an airport in Moscow in February of 2022 as she returned to Russia, where she played professionally during the WNBA offseason. Customs discovered a small container of cannabis oil, which Griner later attributed to a ‘mental lapse’ on her part while she was packing to leave the US.
Last season Brittney Griner averaged just 9.8 points and 5.2 rebounds a game at age 35
Brittney Griner holds photos inside a defendants’ cage before a court hearing during her trial on charges of drug smuggling, in Khimki, outside Moscow on August 2, 2022
Griner advocated for other Americans detained in Russia like former US Marine Paul Whelan (left) and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich (right), who were freed in 2024
Unfortunately, the incident happened at the onset of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and Griner quickly became a significant trade chip in the geopolitical conflict.
Griner was sentenced to nine years in prison in a Russian penal colony, but was freed after 10 months when the Biden Administration swapped arms dealer Viktor Bout for the WNBA star.
Since her return, she has advocated for other Americans detained in Russian like security expert and former US Marine Paul Whelan and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.
Fortunately, the Biden Administration was able to negotiate their releases from Russia in 2024.
Griner was previously a national star at Baylor, where she teamed with Melissa Jones, who passed away earlier this week at 36. No cause of death has been given.
Since the tragedy, Griner responded online, writing: ‘You will be missed MJ!’
