Brittney Griner Makes WNBA All-Star Team in First Season Since Detainment: 'Another Moment…to Celebrate Her'

Griner was named a starter for next month's WNBA All-Star Game in Las Vegas

Britney Griner is a WNBA All-Star once again!

The Phoenix Mercury center, 32, was named a starter on Sunday for the WNBA’s upcoming All-Star game on July 15 in Las Vegas.

The All-Star selection marks the ninth time in Griner’s career that she’s received the honor, and the first since she returned to the basketball court following her 10-month detainment in a Russian prison last year.

“I think all of us are really inspired in what she’s doing and the way she’s kind of handling herself,” said Breanna Stewart, who was also named to the WNBA All-Star lineup. “So it’s another moment to just continue to celebrate her and watch her do her thing on the court.”

Griner has averaged 19.1 points and 6.4 rebounds per game throughout her first nine games back this season. The two-time WNBA scoring champion returned to the court on May 20 after missing all of last season while she was detained in Russia.

Related: Brittney Griner Speaks Out in Support of U.S. Reporter Detained in Russia on Spying Charges

The Texas native said before the season that it was “a surreal feeling being back in" her Mercury jersey and practicing again in the team's arena.

After her first preseason game in May, Griner said she was “grateful” to be back on the court and a little surprised by how quickly she was able to come back following her detainment.

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Griner reportedly denied offers of getting a basketball delivered to her while she was detained last year. Soon after her arrival back in the United States last December following a prisoner swap with Russia, Griner vowed to return to playing basketball competitively again in 2023.

Related: Brittney Griner Gets Warm Welcome in First Game Back in Texas: 'The Love Meant a Lot to Me'

"I didn't think that it would come this quickly,” she said before the season officially kicked off last month. “I was prepared for the long haul, but it's so nice being here, being up here doing media again, wearing this jersey."

Griner missed three games with a hip injury earlier this month, but returned to the floor Saturday with 11 points and six rebounds in a Mercury loss to the Seattle Storm.

While Griner has notched her ninth All-Star season in 10 full WNBA seasons throughout her career, this year has been a rough start overall for the Mercury. The team is 2-10 and in last place overall, marking the worst start in franchise history. The Mercury fired their head coach, Vanessa Nygaard, on Sunday, and named assistant coach Nikki Blue the team's interim head coach.

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