Brittney Griner to tip off in first regular season game since Russian detainment

Los Angeles, California - WNBA champion Brittney Griner is back on the hardwood!

Brittney Griner will take to the hardwood for the first time since her Russian detainment in a regular-season WNBA game against the Los Angeles Sparks.
Brittney Griner will take to the hardwood for the first time since her Russian detainment in a regular-season WNBA game against the Los Angeles Sparks.  © Collage: Christian Petersen / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

The regular WNBA season kicks off on Friday with four major showdowns on the schedule.

Basketball fans will get their first look at the new superteams, the New York Liberty and the Las Vegas Aces, and also a glimpse at the No. 1 overall pick Aliyah Boston of the Indiana Pacers.

Aside from the league's superteams' showdowns, the most anticipated game is between two teams who will close out the first day of the regular season.

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WNBA champion Brittney Griner and the Phoenix Mercury will travel to the Los Angeles Sparks to open the season on Friday night, which means Griner will take to the hardwood for the first time since her Russian detainment.

For nearly a year, Griner was imprisoned in Russia over drug charges related to cannabis vape cartridges that were in her luggage.

Griner was an MVP-caliber player in her last WNBA season, and she's been showing glimpses of her old self in preseason matchups.

In a preseason game against the Sparks last Friday, the Mercury center netted 10 points and grabbed three rebounds in the team's 90–71 loss.

Griner and the Phoenix Mercury will tip off against the Los Angeles Sparks at 8 PM PDT.

Cover photo: Collage: Christian Petersen / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

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