After a harrowing 10-month stint behind bars in a Russian prison, Brittney Griner has announced she will return to the hardwood and play for the Phoenix Mercury in 2023.
“I want to make one thing very clear: I intend to play basketball for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury this season,” she shared on Instagram. “In doing so, I look forward to being able to say ‘thank you’ to those of you who advocated, wrote, and posted for me in person soon.”
Griner, 32, was detained in a Moscow area airport after it was discovered she was in possession of vaping cartridges that held hashish oil, an illegal substance in Russia.
As a result, the eight-time All-Star center missed the entire 2022 WNBA season and her Mercury fell to 15-21 after a 19-13 effort in 2021.
And, while demand to see her play live will likely spike as the season approaches, tickets to see Griner’s Mercury next season are still reasonably priced at the moment.
In fact, at the time of publication, we found tickets for a Mercury road game in Los Angeles late in the season going for as low as $19 before fees on Vivid Seats.
So, if you want to see Griner back on the court and are hoping to find a game that works for you, make sure to pore through the Mercury’s 2023 regular season schedule that includes all game dates, venues, start times and links to buy tickets.
For the record, the Mercury’s season tips off May 19 in Los Angeles at the Crypto.com Arena against the Sparks. Two days later, the Mercury will host their home opener taking on the Chicago Sky.
Later in the season, Griner and the Mercury are scheduled to head east for a pair of contests at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center where they’ll play the New York Liberty on June 18 and July 5.
All prices are subject to fluctuation.