The Connecticut Sun finally snapped their seven-game losing streak Monday night, beating the Chicago Sky 92-63. But the win itself wasn’t the only thing worth talking about.
Brittney Griner became the WNBA’s all-time blocks leader in that game, swatting her 878th career shot to pass Margo Dydek, who had held the record since 2008. Griner finished with 14 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 blocks. It’s the kind of milestone that usually gets you a video tribute and a standing ovation. She got those. But the real moment came after the game.
The press conference nobody planned for
Griner sat down for the postgame media availability, and she was visibly emotional. Her wife and son were sitting courtside, and her kid, Bash, eventually wandered into the room and joined her at the table. That’s when things got real.
“Having my family here is big for me,” Griner said, according to video posted by The IX Sports’ Deyscha Smith. “Everything I do, I do for them. So, for them to see that (was special), sitting there at courtside, my wife is amazing. I have a lot of emotions right now.”
She paused. Took a breath. Then she brought it back to the team.
“But also, getting the win here, we wanted to put on a good show for these fans, and I hope they know that we are working hard every single day. I said it the other day, we are working so hard.”
She kept repeating that phrase: working so hard. It felt less like a cliché and more like a confession. The Sun have been through it this season.
The season so far
Connecticut is 3-11. They rank third-worst in the league in points allowed, giving up 89.8 per game. That’s not what you’d expect from a team with a two-time Defensive Player of the Year anchoring the paint. Griner signed a one-year deal with the Sun in the offseason after a one-year stop with the Atlanta Dream, and the hope was she’d stabilize things on that end. It hasn’t worked out that way so far.
Still, individually, she’s having a solid year. Griner is averaging 12.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.9 blocks. She ranks third in the league in blocks, behind only A’ja Wilson and Emily Engstler. Compare that to her numbers last season, and it’s a clear step up.
But Monday night wasn’t about averages or standings. It was about a 35-year-old player hitting a mark that seemed untouchable for nearly 20 years. And it was about her kid sitting beside her while she tried not to cry on camera. That stuff doesn’t show up in the box score.
The Sun host the Washington Mystics on Friday. Griner will probably block a few more shots by then. The record keeps moving.
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