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Hours before the Phoenix Mercury take on the Atlanta Dream could be filled with pure emotion from Brittney Griner. The former Phoenix center has spent this season not wearing the purple and orange threads.
Rather, she's been in the ATL, that is, with the Dream. During the offseason, Griner left the Mercury and signed with the Dream in free agency.
It shocked many, including long-time fans, who thought she would be with the team forever. However, as former teammates DeWanna Bonner and Kahleah Copper prepare for Wednesday's game, along with head coach Nate Tibbetts, something feels different.
Starting with Bonner, she played with Griner for six seasons. Together, the Mercury convincingly won the 2014 WNBA championship. After Wednesday's shootaround, the forward revealed her thoughts on what a Griner homecoming will be like.
I asked DeWanna Bonner about Brittney Griner’s return to Phoenix tonight and the impact she left on the city.
“You can’t mention Phoenix without BG.” pic.twitter.com/ryR1MzhOfl
— Hayden Cilley (@HaydenCilley) July 23, 2025
“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. I'm sure Phoenix is excited to get her back and just to see her and everything she has going on,” Bonner said.
“She had a shoe drive going on this afternoon, so bring your shoes, donate to the BG shoe drive. We're excited to get her back here in Phoenix. We're excited to see her. The fans want to see her on the court, and I'm sure that it'll probably be emotional for her, but we're excited to love on her a little bit.”
Brittney Griner has support from the Mercury
Much like Bonner, Copper expressed something similar. Although the guard and center only played together for one season, they were insane competitors.
Both squared off in the 2021 WNBA Finals, which many believe, was the peak of Griner's prime as a basketball player. Once Copper came to Phoenix in 2024, she felt the gravitational pull that the current Atlanta center has on the city.
She feels that pull will be even stronger, Wednesday night.
“It's going to be amazing. I think what BG has done for this organization since she came in here as a rookie will be amazing,” Copper said via Desert Wave Media Co on Tuesday.
“I think this organization has done a great job of the rollout thus far for her coming back. I'm excited for the X Factor to go out there and give her that standing ovation she deserves.”
Lastly, the second-year head coach in Tibbetts saw the love Griner has for the city. He also saw the city reciprocate that love in a multitude of ways.
Even with somewhat of an abrupt exit, the Phoenix coach wants nothing but love from his home crowd.
“The hope is that the X Factor gives her a ton of love. What she did here and what she's meant to this organization and city is gonna be hard to match ever, right?” Tibbetts said on Monday.
“She's one of one and the hope is that X Factor gives her a ton of love. It's well-deserved. BG is a special person. We'll always be excited to see her.”
