Brittney Griner makes emotional return to the court

Sporting a new hair style and filled with emotion, Brittney Griner returned to her job as center for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury as the league began a new season.

A crowd of over 14,000 filled the Footprint Center in Phoenix on Sunday to welcome Griner back to the court.

The American was very emotional throughout the day and received a loving reception from the crowd when she was introduced pregame.

“There might have been a little dust in my eye,” Griner said to reporters after the game.

“It was emotional seeing some of the clips and then coming out. Part of the process of healing is kind of just letting it out, so yeah, I got choked up a little but tried to hide it,” Griner said.

Despite spending nearly a year in Russian custody, Griner quickly became reacquainted with a basketball in her hands. She scored 27 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and missed just four shots all game. Despite her efforts, the Mercury lost to the Chicago Sky 75-69.

Among the over 14,000 in attendance was U.S. Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens, alongside U.S. Representative Sheila Jackson Lee. Carstens never lost faith Griner would suit up to play basketball in the U.S. again.

“We knew this day was going to come,” he said. “We knew it was going to be hard. It was going to take some time but what we saw today is exactly how I pictured it.”

“This is not only an example of how everyone comes together to bring an American home, an Olympian home. Whether it’s Brittney or whether it’s Paul Whelan, who still remains in Russia or now Evan Gershkovich, who’s also now in Russia. We are not going to take our foot off the gas. We are going to keep pushing and it’s going to be us that eventually brings everyone home.”