Home

NBA

Billionaire Mark Cuban Once “Leaned” Towards Drafting College Sensation Brittney Griner for His NBA Team: “Just to See if She Can Do It”

Published 08/06/2022, 9:00 AM EDT

Follow Us

One of the WNBA’s biggest stars is going through the toughest phase of her life. Brittney Griner has been stuck in a Russian prison for the past five months now. The Phoenix Mercury superstar changed the game with her dominating size. A phenom on the court, Griner has made eight All-Star appearances. However, one NBA owner almost took a chance to see just what the Griner could do.

Brittney Griner is probably the most revolutionary player in the WNBA. Regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the league, her size took everyone by storm. In a league where dunking was rare, the Mercury star shocked the world. Her fearlessness is what fans fell in love with. There was even a time she called former NBA All-Star center, DeMarcus Cousins a ‘little man’. Standing at a whopping 6’8″, Griner was getting huge buzz for being capable of maybe playing in the NBA.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

However, she was closer than most could think. Dallas Mavericks billionaire owner Mark Cuban was curious to see what Griner could bring to the table. And he really thought of giving her a shot.

Brittney Griner could have been in the NBA

Before making it to the big stage, Griner was a walking bucket with Baylor. Scoring 50 on a senior night, Brittney Griner’s name was echoing all around. However, it wasn’t just the WNBA who sensed the lengths of her talent. Griner had her name reach the biggest league in all of basketball. It had Cuban, particularly, thinking about making history.

Lakers Coach Darvin Ham Unleashes Massive 4 Word LeBron James Warning on Younger NBA Roster

He said: “Right now, I’d lean toward yes, just to see if she can do it,” he said. “You never know unless you give somebody a chance, and it’s not like the likelihood of any late-50s draft pick has a good chance of making it.”

Trending

Get instantly notified of the hottest NBA stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.

Follow Us

While Cuban had his mind gearing up for the idea, he didn’t pull the trigger. Instead, Griner became the uncontested number one pick in the WNBA draft. After an abysmal season, the Phoenix Mercury was the favorite to bring her in. And Brittney Griner turned out to be the biggest difference in the history of the organization.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

A mismatch since the time she touched the floor, arguably no one could deal with Griner. Just a year later, Mercury made history. From losing 27 games, they set the league record by winning 29. Griner became the single most dominant force the WNBA had ever seen. A beast on both ends of the floor, she took Phoenix to a championship in 2014.

Griner had solidified herself as the best player on the planet. She has pretty much done it all since then. A scoring champion, block leader, and even a WNBA champion, her resume is among the best. Moreover, no one comes close in the conversation for most dunks.

The WNBA and basketball world beyond received by far the worst news possible a few days ago. Brittney Griner’s trial had a verdict. However, it left everyone upset. She was sentenced to nine years in prison. Likewise, the US government was furious. President Joe Biden made it clear he is doing everything in his power to bring the Mercury center back home.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Watch This Story: Michael Jordans 5 Rumored Affairs After Divorce with Juanita Vanoy 

Do you think Mark Cuban should have drafted Brittney Griner? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :

Written by:

Anuj Talwalkar

2,362Articles

One take at a time

Anuj Talwalkar is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. He is a student studying at NM College in Mumbai, aspiring to pursue sports management to follow his love for sports. Anuj started following the NBA last year, and he loves to combine his passion for writing with his understanding of basketball.
Show More>

Edited by:

Veer Badani