Brittney Griner eager to wear Team USA uniform at 2024 Paris Olympics

Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner has faced substantial challenges over the last two years. During the WNBA offseason, while playing for UMMC Ekaterinburg in Russia, Griner was arrested and detained on drug charges in February 2022. After being imprisoned in a Russian penal colony, Griner was released in a high-profile prisoner-exchange in December 2022.

Aside from the obvious implications, the entire experience was jolting for Griner, who had aspired to join law enforcement and initially considered enlisting in the Marines after college before her basketball career took off.

Earlier this year, Griner publicly stated that she would never play overseas again except for the national team. Currently training with Team USA in Atlanta for the 2024 Paris Olympics, she anticipates a momentous experience donning the American flag once more on the court after her recent tribulations.

Griner admitted, “That moment, listening to our anthem, watching our flag go up…it’s going to be a lot of emotions. Very, very, very few people will understand that emotion. I can’t wait for it though. I’m so ready for it.”

Her teammate, Diana Taurasi, also spoke about Griner’s return to the national team, saying, “It will be surely a big moment for her in her life. I’ve been there through it all. It will be a very satisfying moment for her professionally, personally and just being an American.”

Griner was thrilled to receive the call from Team USA, as she was uncertain about her future in the sport months earlier. She shared, “There were a lot of times a year ago where I didn’t think that I would play ball. I didn’t think I would ever wear this jersey again. I didn’t know what the future was.”

Now engaged in training camp activities and games, Team USA is preparing for the 2024 Olympics, with upcoming events such as the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in February to secure their place in the Games. They are an anticipated front-runner to mark their eighth consecutive gold medal.

This Team USA squad is also undergoing changes with new coach Cheryl Reeve, a shift that veteran player Taurasi views positively. She remarked, “Coach Reeve is top-notch. When you talk about someone who has had such success in the WNBA obviously with Minnesota, she’s just brought a level of standard of play, a focus on detail that’s been really amazing and fun.”

“Being able to trust those details is something that’s been really helpful and useful for us, and it’s something that’s really transitioned quickly,” Taurasi added. “It’s kind of the path that we want to stay on and play on with this group.”

Griner looks forward to this transition and eagerly anticipates the upcoming Olympics, striving to achieve glory on the court and represent her country once more.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Brittney Griner eager to represent Team USA at 2024 Paris Olympics