WNBA Star Brittney Griner takes mental health break, to miss upcoming two games
The 32-year-old American returned to the WNBA in May after being arrested and detained in Russia for almost ten months.
Basketball
Two-time Olympic basketball gold medallist Brittney Griner was not part of the Phoenix Mercury squad that lost to Chicago Sky on Sunday 30 July. She will also not feature in the squad for their next game on Tuesday (1 August), when they face the Indiana Fever.
The Phoenix Mercury have announced that Griner has taken a break to focus on her mental health.
"The Mercury fully support Brittney and we will continue to work together on a timeline for her return," the team said in a statement.
The basketball star has played 20 out 24 games since her return to the WNBA. The 32-year-old Griner was detained in a Russian prison for almost ten months between February and December last year on drug charges, after custom officials found cartridges containing less than a gram of medically prescribed hash oil.
Griner has averaged 18.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game this season. Last month, her performances were awarded with her ninth WNBA All-Star selection.