Phoenix knows how to welcome its stars. Whether it’s Brittney Griner last year or DeWanna Bonner this season, the city is big on those gestures. The former’s comeback had ignited passionate chants, and the same electric energy greeted Bonner; this one erupted the moment she was spotted in the crowd, even before she rejoined the team. So knowing what she does, the former Fever forward is calling for that energy just once more; only this time, it won’t be loud, and Griner won’t be adorning the Phoenix colors.
The 6’9″ center isn’t exactly having the run of her career in Atlanta, but she has no hard feelings regarding how she left. “I wish I would’ve known way sooner, but hey, life happens,” she had regarding the franchise’s change in approach. Griner has been at the heart of Phoenix for well over a decade, winning the 2014 WNBA title, while being their all-time leader in blocks and rebounds, and anchoring the team’s defense, which made her one of the most dominant centers.
So as she returns to the city for the first time in a foreign shirt, Bonner knows the fans’ sentiments.
She said, “In this state. I mean, you can’t mention Phoenix without mentioning BG, what she’s done, she won championships here. She grew up here, literally got drafted here, and just became a great person to this community. So I’m sure Phoenix is excited to get her back.”
Phoenix and Griner have grown near-synonymous with each other after the star center hit it right off the bat in her rookie year. Griner dunked, yes, she dunked, not once but twice in her first professional game. She made her first All-Star team that very year, and… it became a habit– 9 more times in the years that followed. She was a powerhouse tearing up the court in Phoenix, yet when it came to the city’s people, she revealed a heartfelt and tender side that resonated far beyond the game.
Griner used to drive home from practices and kept seeing homeless Arizonians living without shoes in the summer. Initially, she started with carrying shoes in her trunk, just in case there was someone in need. In 2016, she decided that alone wasn’t enough, and this idea converted into the Mercury organization establishing a shoe drive. It engaged its X-Factor fan base and BG’s teammates, and partnered with local non-profit Phoenix Rescue Mission.
Griner founded BG’s Heart and Sole Shoe Drive, and this has been an annual initiative ever since. The show drives have helped nearly 2,000 people in the Valley, and that yearly initiative is set to repeat when Griner returns to the city.
Hence, DeWanna Bonner is making an appeal: “And just to see her and everything she has going on, and she had a shoe drive going on. So bring your shoes, donate to BG’s shoe drive. So we’re excited to get her back here in Phoenix, we’re excited to see her. The fans around the court, and I’m sure that it’ll probably be emotional for her, but we’re excited to love her a little bit.”
The franchise revived the tradition to honor Griner’s homecoming. Though she’s embraced a new chapter, juggling motherhood, adapting to a new system, and building chemistry with new teammates, Griner is settling into her new life. But no matter where she goes, her legacy as a Phoenix legend remains unshakable.
Brittney Griner definitely misses the Phoenix Mercury
After 11 iconic seasons with the Phoenix Mercury, Brittney Griner’s move to the Atlanta Dream shocked many and hit her hard on a personal level. Open and honest in interviews, she’s revealed just how tough it was to say goodbye to the team and city that had become her true home.
She had said after leaving, “You know it was a hard decision. You’re leaving what you know, what I’ve known for my whole career. But there’s also the exciting factor of like, okay, this is a rebrand now, I get to show them something different.”
However, her career change hasn’t worked out the way she wanted it to. Griner is having a career-low season. Griner is averaging career lows in points, rebounds, and blocks per game for the first time since entering the WNBA with 10.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game. Her scoring average has been cut by almost half compared to her prior season in Phoenix, where she averaged 17.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game. As a result of this drop, Griner was left out of the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game rosters, breaking her streak of 10 selections.
May 10, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Dream center Brittney Griner (42) against the Indiana Fever at Gateway Center Arena @ College Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
Griner’s drop in performance wasn’t sudden without reason. The Atlanta Dream’s system and roster are very different from Phoenix’s, requiring her to adjust to a new role where she is no longer the centerpiece of the offense and receives far fewer touches than earlier in her career. Beyond that her priorities sway with her focus now on her family, especially her son, Bash.
Griner describes Bash as her “world,” and says that everything changed the moment he was born. She often shares joyful family moments and photos of their son, highlighting the happiness and excitement she feels as a new mother. Despite the drop, she remains important to the Atlanta Dream in a leadership role and a fierce player. So hopefully, Griner will be welcomed the same way Bonner was, even when it’s not in their short.
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