Brittney Griner Just Being Herself

The Phoenix Mercury came into town to take on the Washington Mystics, and they upstaged the home team in spectacular fashion. The game started off evenly but soon shifted in the Mercury’s favor. What happened? Brittney Griner came alive.

She started off the game fairly reserved, while simultaneously remaining observant. Brittney waited for things to develop, and when she saw the opportunity to make her biggest impact, she went for it. The result was the Mercury taking the lead in the 2nd quarter, and never looking back, en route to a 22 point victory. This game was reflective of how Brittney has navigated through life. She has always been patiently observant. When the time is right, she jumps in and makes the biggest impact possible.

While at Baylor, she was seemingly reserved in her play and in her personal life. In an interview with Swish Appeal last year, she expressed that she held back at times because she didn’t want to come off as “too dominant” or “too strong”. She laid in the cut and waited for the perfect time to fully display her strength. In her final home game at Baylor, she threw down three dunks and officially put the world on notice. The result? She was taken #1 in the subsequent WNBA draft later that year. She has been one of the best women’s hoopers on the planet ever since.

Also in college, while she never hid who she was, Brittney rather chose to not make it a focal point of her public existence. Once she got drafted, she started to be more vocal about her lifestyle. The result? She became an ambassador and role model for so many others, who may not have her confidence and self-assuredness. She continues to represent herself in many ways even down to her footwear.

Brittney did damage against the Mystics wearing the “Be True” Kyrie 5’s. Since 2012, Nike has released a “Be True” product line during Pride month to celebrate the LGBTQ community and the latest edition of the Kyrie’s got the treatment again this year. Griner had nothing but great things to say about the shoe’s performance and style-wise. She loves the support, saying that she generally has ankle problems, and most importantly that the shoe looks dope. This is her first year playing in the Kyrie’s and she says their stock is climbing. I asked her what her favorite hooping shoe ever was and she emphatically said the Huarache 2K4. She said that Nike needs to bring those back. Alright guys in Beaverton, Brittney has officially put you on the clock for the Nike Huarache 2K4 retro.

Brittney Griner dominated the game, doing what she’s been doing her whole life. She was patient, vigilant, attentive and when the situation called for it, she was aggressive. It’s a recipe that has proven successful for her, and we have no doubt that she will continue to win her way in every aspect of life.