It’s a preseason tradition in the NBA to conduct a game outside the United States to acknowledge the fandom across the world. The women’s league had previously organized games in Mexico and England, but the inaugural game in Canada turned out to be historic. Incidentally, Canada is the only country to own a franchise in the NBA outside the USA.
Canada welcomed a couple of NBA stars
The Minnesota Lynx and Chicago Sky game on Saturday night featured a sold-out venue in Canada, marking the first time in WNBA history that this has happened. The tickets sold out in a matter of minutes when the authorities started reservations on March 8 (International Women's Day). In addition, the enthusiastic reception made some supporters desire for a Canadian WNBA club. Along with spectators, a few NBA stars were present during the game. The audience cheered loudly for former NBA Champion and Toronto Raptor Serge Ibaka. Luguentz Dort, a standout for the Oklahoma City Thunder, was also in attendance.
Brittney Griner won hearts on her return
Griner finally stepped on the basketball court for a competitive game after several months on Friday. The star entered the arena amid roaring cheers. In response to the arena’s atmosphere, the Mercury’s head coach, Vanessa Nygaard, said, “I’m getting emotional about it now. Just to see her back out there… it’s an absolute miracle,” as per CBS News.