“She is a game changer” is how Nate Tibbetts defined Brittney Griner’s presence on the floor. After her return from the toe injury, the 6-ft-9 center has surely delivered on every expectation that the new head coach might have of her. But of course, there are slow days every now and then, just like it was last night. For a while at least. Nevertheless, Tibbetts placed his utmost faith in the 9x WNBA All-Star, and she delivered a double-double in the sweeping win for Phoenix. Consequently, the head coach could only appreciate the veteran.

After handing the visiting LA Sparks a 92-78 defeat, Nate Tibbetts spoke about his promising words with Brittney Griner. He said, “She said she was terrible in the first half. So, she said after the game, ‘Thanks for believing in me’ and I was like “I’m always going to believe in you.” 

The head coach also praised the 8x WNBA blocks leader by saying, “Yeah, it was a weird transition, going into the season knowing BG was going to be alright. Defensively, stylistically, how we wanna play offensively and then to have that injury.” He added, “She’s a great player. One of the all-time best. And when you add a player of her caliber on the floor…when you put her out there, it just changes your team in such a positive way.”

Previously as well, Tibbetts had commended Brittney Griner when she returned from her 10-game injury absence. Then, he had said, “Getting BG back, she’s a game-changer.” Certainly, the 2x WNBA scoring champion adds a lot to the team.

How has Brittney Griner impacted the Mercury?

The Baylor alum was looking forward to a big season this year but faced a toe injury in her left foot in the very first preseason exhibition. Consequently, she missed 10 games. However, her involvement in the last 7 games for them has been clearly amazing. Winning five of the seven, they have improved their standing in the league, currently sixth in the league with a 9-8 record.

Surely, her tall stature and physicality help them dominate the paint. She is averaging 19.5 points, 7 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game. Last night, in the first half, Griner only added 6 points, 2 assists, 3 rebounds, and a block. However, after realizing that she was not playing effectively enough, she added 12 points and 6 rebounds in the second half. Her total for the night came to 18 points with 8 of 12 field goals. She capped the night with 11 rebounds as well.

Certainly, the 11-year veteran has proven her potential to bounce back from a slope. What is more refreshing is that Brittney Griner’s head coach believes in her. It will be interesting how she performs in the rest of the 2024 season.

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