Last year, Brittney Griner missed the entire WNBA season as she spent 10 months in a Russian penal colony. And based on some recent comments from a teammate, it sounds like the time away from the court noticeably impacted her basketball ability.
During an interview this week, teammate Diana Taurasi revealed that Brittney Griner is improving, but conceded that the long stint away from the basketball court impacted her play.
“I think she’s gotten better,” Taurasi told ESPN on Tuesday. “Yeah, I think she’s progressed. I mean, when you don’t do anything for 10 months, yeah, it’s a long strain on your body — mentally, physically.
“But every week you just see her getting a little bit better.”
It’s clear from Taurasi’s comments that Griner’s game is not yet where it needs to be in order for her to return to her same level of dominance. But Taurasi does see some flashes of the player Griner used to be and said it’s going to be “a big training camp” for Griner as she works to get back into her form.
“You see her do things [and you’re like] ‘Oh, oh, OK. Spin move baseline. I remember that.’ Or getting a block,” Taurasi said. “So, there are all these little moments that she keeps stacking up and it’s going to be a big training camp for her to get back where she wants to go. But, we’re all here helping and hopefully we could all do it together.”
We’ll have to see if Griner can return to her dominant self in time for the start of the WNBA season next month.
[ESPN]
