When a legend picks up a new jersey, the basketball world takes notice. Brittney Griner is doing just that, and her next chapter with the Connecticut Sun is shaping up to be one of the most compelling storylines of the upcoming WNBA season.
After more than 12 years in the league, the 10-time All-Star is embracing a fresh start—and she has something to prove. Coming off a challenging season with the Atlanta Dream, the former Baylor standout is clear-eyed about the chatter surrounding her career.
"A lot of people counting me out, want to call me old, want to set me to retire," Griner said. "But I'm not. I got a lot to go, and this team is bringing a lot out of me."
That fire is exactly what makes this move so intriguing. Griner signed a one-year deal with the Sun after spending the bulk of her career with the Phoenix Mercury, where she became a household name. The transition to Atlanta last season was rocky—something she has been open about.
"That transition from Phoenix to Atlanta for me, you know, I'll be honest, it was rough for me," Griner told CT Insider. "The mental side of it... it was different. I'd been somewhere basically my whole career, and that was tough for me."
But now, she says, the headspace is right. "I feel really good about this. I knew what I was looking for. You don't know what you don't know until you know. And I know this is what I want."
Connecticut offers more than just a change of scenery. Griner joins a young, hungry Sun squad featuring rising stars like Aneesah Morrow and Aaliyah Edwards. Her veteran presence and unmatched paint protection—she's an eight-time blocks leader—could be the stabilizing force this team needs to make a deep run.
There's also a bigger picture at play. The Sun are relocating to Houston next season, setting up a potential homecoming for Griner in her native Texas. If she can help build something meaningful this year, the narrative writes itself.
At 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot-4 wingspan, Griner remains one of the league's most dominant interior forces. Even at 35, she's a matchup nightmare—a player who commands attention every time she touches the ball.
Griner believes she still has more left in the tank. The Sun believe it, too. And for fans looking for a reason to tune in this season, watching this veteran write her next chapter is a great place to start.
