UNCASVILLE, CT — Aaliyah Edwards remembers her first game against Brittney Griner well. Possibly because it contained a welcome to the WNBA moment from the legendary post player.
"I tried to do like a reverse layup on her in my rookie season and she sent me into the third row," said Edwards, who shuttered and laughed at the thought of it.
Edwards can chuckle because now Griner is on her side, a teammate with the Connecticut Sun. Entering her 13th season in WNBA, Griner joined the Sun on a one-year, $1.19 million contract. She said Edwards texted her when she agreed to a deal in early April.
"She was just like, 'I'm so glad you're coming here,'" Griner said. "'I don't have to play against you anymore,' and I checked the back, and [said] 'I ain't got to play against you. I don't got to guard you either.' I was like, 'So, we're good.'"
Edwards called Griner "a legend to our league." The 35-year-old center is expected to be one of the big draws for the Sun, who will be playing their final season in Connecticut before moving the Griner's hometown of Houston. A 10-time All-Star, she won a championship with the Phoenix Mercury and is a two-time Defensive Player of the Year. The 6-foot-9 center has averaged 16.8 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.4 blocks over her storied career.
"To have that type of expertise around me constantly," Edwards said, "only makes me better and helps me to grow as a leader."BG's been a great edition for us. She's a winner. She had a championship before, and I love to play alongside winners."
2026: Azzi Fudd, Dallas Wings (Connecticut)2025: Paige Bueckers, Dallas Wings (Connecticut)2024: Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever (Iowa)2023: Aliyah Boston, Indiana Fever (South Carolina)2022: Rhyne Howard, Atlanta Dream (Kentucky)2021: Charli Collier, Dallas Wings (Texas)2020: Sabrina Ionescu, New York Liberty (Oregon)2019: Jackie Young, Las Vegas Aces (Notre Dame)2018: A'ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces (South Carolina)2017: Kelsey Plum, San Antonio Stars (Washington)2016: Breanna Stewart, Seattle Storm (Connecticut)2015: Jewell Loyd, Seattle Storm (Notre Dame)2014: Chiney Ogwumike, Connecticut Sun (Stanford)2013: Brittney Griner, Phoenix Mercury (Baylor)2012: Nneka Ogwumike, Los Angeles Sparks (Stanford)2011: Maya Moore, Minnesota Lynx (Connecticut)2010: Tina Charles, Connecticut Sun (Connecticut)2009: Angel McCoughtry, Atlanta Dream (Louisville)2008: Candace Parker, Los Angeles Sparks (Tennessee)2007: Lindsey Harding, Phoenix Mercury (Duke)2006: Seimone Augustus, Minnesota Lynx (LSU)2005: Janel McCarville, Charlotte Sting (Minnesota)2004: Diana Taurasi, Phoenix Mercury (Connecticut)2003: LaToya Thomas, Cleveland Rockers (Mississippi State)2002: Sue Bird, Seattle Storm (Connecticut)2001: Lauren Jackson, Seattle Storm (Canberra Capitals, Australia)2000: Ann Wauters, Cleveland Rockers (USV Olympic, France)1999: Chamique Holdsclaw, Washington Mystics (Tennessee)1998: Margo Dydek, Utah Starzz (Fota Porta Gdynia, Poland)1997: Tina Thompson, Houston Comets (Southern California)1 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2026: Azzi Fudd, Dallas Wings (Connecticut)1 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2026: Azzi Fudd, Dallas Wings (Connecticut)2 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2025: Paige Bueckers, Dallas Wings (Connecticut)3 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2024: Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever (Iowa)4 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2023: Aliyah Boston, Indiana Fever (South Carolina)5 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2022: Rhyne Howard, Atlanta Dream (Kentucky)6 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2021: Charli Collier, Dallas Wings (Texas)7 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2020: Sabrina Ionescu, New York Liberty (Oregon)8 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2019: Jackie Young, Las Vegas Aces (Notre Dame)9 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2018: A'ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces (South Carolina)10 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2017: Kelsey Plum, San Antonio Stars (Washington)11 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2016: Breanna Stewart, Seattle Storm (Connecticut)12 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2015: Jewell Loyd, Seattle Storm (Notre Dame)13 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2014: Chiney Ogwumike, Connecticut Sun (Stanford)14 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2013: Brittney Griner, Phoenix Mercury (Baylor)15 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2012: Nneka Ogwumike, Los Angeles Sparks (Stanford)16 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2011: Maya Moore, Minnesota Lynx (Connecticut)17 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2010: Tina Charles, Connecticut Sun (Connecticut)18 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2009: Angel McCoughtry, Atlanta Dream (Louisville)19 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2008: Candace Parker, Los Angeles Sparks (Tennessee)20 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2007: Lindsey Harding, Phoenix Mercury (Duke)21 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2006: Seimone Augustus, Minnesota Lynx (LSU)22 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2005: Janel McCarville, Charlotte Sting (Minnesota)23 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2004: Diana Taurasi, Phoenix Mercury (Connecticut)24 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2003: LaToya Thomas, Cleveland Rockers (Mississippi State)25 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2002: Sue Bird, Seattle Storm (Connecticut)26 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2001: Lauren Jackson, Seattle Storm (Canberra Capitals, Australia)27 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2000: Ann Wauters, Cleveland Rockers (USV Olympic, France)28 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year1999: Chamique Holdsclaw, Washington Mystics (Tennessee)29 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year1998: Margo Dydek, Utah Starzz (Fota Porta Gdynia, Poland)30 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year1997: Tina Thompson, Houston Comets (Southern California)Griner admits she only recently has come into her own as a vocal leader and she is enjoying teaching her young team some of the finer points of the game. Thirteen of the 17 players on the Sun's roster have three years or less experience in the WNBA, including six rookies.
"I love playing with his team," Griner said. "Outside of me, (Kennedy Burke and Shey Peddy), it's like three years and under experience. ... It's breathing youth into me. Like, they got me running up and down this court. Like, I'm 21.
"And they're eager. You know, you can have a young group and all they want to do is play around. They don't want to work hard, you know? That's not this group. ... They are locked in, and they listen."
If Griner sounds like a coach, there's a reason. She is already thinking about what's next when she finishes her playing career. And being a part of this Sun team could be the perfect springboard. Griner said one of the reasons she chose the Sun in free agency was the chance to play with a younger team.
"I want to give back to the game," Griner said. "I do want to get into coaching, you know, and all these little things were just kind of like calling out to me, and I feel like I can come out here, focus on basketball, show what I need to do."
Head coach Rachid Meziane said Griner is fitting in much the way he expected when he recruited her to the Sun. After spending the first 11 seasons of her career in Phoenix, Griner played in Atlanta last season. After beginning the year as a starter, she moved to the Dream's bench and never quite found her groove. She is getting back on track in Connecticut.
"I told her that she will have a big role to play on the court, but also in the locker room. From what I know from her and from teammates, she's a great leader," Meziane said. "... She's really enjoying being an assistant coach almost.
"It's exactly what I'm expecting from her ... her presence around the young players, it's something I value a lot."
The fact the Sun are moving to Houston next season was also a big factor in Griner's move. She led Nimitz High School in Houston to a Texas 5A state championship her senior season and recorded a record seven dunks in a game that season.
"I haven't played in front of my family my whole career," Griner said. "... I haven't been able to play in Houston where I started my career. I have that opportunity to be able to go back home. I was like, it made sense.
"I wanted to come before (the move), be with the organization, show that, you know, I'm in it. ... And I'm loyal. You know? So I plan on being here."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Brittney Griner’s second act starts in Connecticut with the Sun