Why Brittney Griner Wept on the Paris Olympic Medals Stand

As the national anthem played, gold medal around her neck, Brittney Griner placed her hand on her heart, while tears streamed down her face. The United States had just defeated France, 67-66, at Bercy Arena in the Olympic final on Sunday, the last sporting event of the Paris Olympics. The game was a thriller, with France nearly ending Team USA’s 60-game Olympic winning streak that went back to 1992. Griner played less than five minutes in the gold medal game, scoring just four points. But the box score was irrelevant. Because during the darkest days of Griner’s 293-day detention in a Russian prison in 2022, the notion of Griner being here, in Paris, celebrating the third Olympic gold medal of her standout career, seemed as likely as a warm Siberian winter.

“My country fought for me to get back,” Griner, who was freed in a prisoner swap in December of 2022, said after the U.S. victory. “And I was able to bring home gold for my country. There's just no greater feeling.”

The emotional response surprised Griner. “I thought I would get a little red eye,” said Griner. Even before the medals ceremony, she excused herself from the group celebration and retreated to a bathroom. “I just kind of had a moment, and got myself together,” said Griner.

This Olympic trip was not always easy for Griner. It was her first foray outside of the United States since her release; in February of 2022, Russian authorities detained Griner in Moscow while en route to Yekaterinburg, where she played professionally during the WNBA offseason. The team took a train from London to get to Paris. “Last time I was on a train overseas, it was a prison train,” said Griner. “So that was a little rough. There was a few moments of like, ‘wow.’”

USA coach Cheryl Reeve was concerned about Griner’s state of mind going into these Olympics. In February, Griner was supposed to join the U.S. team for an Olympics qualifier in Belgium, but backed out. “Maybe she just needed a little more time,” said Reeve. “More than what she thought.” Reeve marveled at Griner’s ability to compartmentalize. “When you see BG around the team, her outward, she's O.K.,” said Reeve. “You know that inside, there's a lot going on there.  But she always presents … the very best version of herself.” Reeve encouraged everyone to “keep checking in on her because it's unfathomable what she went through.”

“I always say she has the biggest heart I’ve ever been around. She cares about people, and that's why so many people care about her,” said Diana Taurasi, Griner’s WNBA teammate with the Phoenix Mercury, who won her sixth Olympic gold medal on Sunday, the most for any basketball player, ever. “It wasn't easy, and it's still not easy for her. She still carries a big burden.” 

Griner, 33, didn’t promise to keep chasing Taurasi’s new gold record, but she didn’t rule it out either, as she’s already halfway there.  “We’ll see,” said Griner. Her first order of business, post-Olympics, is a back-to-back WNBA road games with the Mercury, against the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever on Aug. 16 and 17. “Going home to work some more,” she said. 

Then Griner will have a few days at home in Arizona, to catch her breath and spend some quality time with her wife Cherelle Griner and her son, Bash, who was born in early July.  

“Just putting that goal next to him and hugging him,” said Griner, “yeah,  that'll be my way I celebrate.”

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