Phoenix Mercury All-Star center Brittney Griner has broken her silence on her recent three-game absence due to her mental health concerns.

Griner dispelled the notion athletes are weak for taking time off for themselves. She needed some time away from the basketball court to come back stronger for the rest of the 2023 WNBA season, per ESPN.

Griner, a nine-time WNBA All-Star, poured out her sentiments after the Mercury's 97-91 home loss to the Seattle Storm on Saturday. Griner finished with 22 points, six rebounds, and four assists for Phoenix.

It's been a tough uphill battle for Brittney Griner in 2023 

The Mercury announced Brittney Griner will miss the team's upcoming East Coast road trip on July 30. She sat out the Mercury's games against the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever. Although she also missed their game against the Atlanta Dream on Thursday, she was at Footprint Center to witness her teammate Diana Taurasi score her 10,000th career point.

Taurasi applauded her long-time teammate for taking a stand on her mental well-being.

“There's nothing better that you feeling right to make sure that everything else is right,” Taurasi said. “When BG does this, I'm like, ‘I really applaud you, because it's not easy.'”

Griner missed the entire 2022 WNBA season after spending 10 months in a Russian prison. She has been feeling the mental repercussions of that ordeal eight months after her release. Griner also drew inspiration from gymnast Simone Biles who skipped some events in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics to safeguard her mental health, per ESPN's M.A. Voepel.

Despite Griner's struggles, she has come back strong in 2023. She has been averaging 18.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.1 assists through 21 games.

Griner gave credit to the Mercury franchise for its support. She has played her entire 10-year WNBA career with Phoenix.