Brittney Griner is officially back with the Phoenix Mercury after signing a one-year deal, but she did so by taking a major pay cut.
According to Business Insider, Griner is taking a 32 percent pay cut to rejoin the Mercury for the 2023 season. She will make $165,000 from her one-year deal. This allowed the Mercury to bring back Diana Taurasi, the WNBA’s all-time leading scorer.
After news of Griner’s deal with the team was reported, the team officially announced the deal on Tuesday.
“It’s a great day for all of us to announce that Brittney Griner has officially signed to play for the Mercury in 2023,” Phoenix general manager Jim Pitman said in a statement. “We missed BG every day that she was gone and, while basketball was not our primary concern, her presence on the floor, in our locker room, around our organization, and within our community was greatly missed. We will continue to use the resources of our organization to support her, on and off the floor, and we are thrilled for her that she gets to return to basketball, which she loves so dearly. This is a special signing and today is a special day for all of us.”
Griner’s return to the Mercury was expected after she vowed to play for the team during the 2023 season upon her return from a Russian prison. She was released from Russian prison on Dec. 8 as part of an exchange that saw the U.S. free convicted arms dealer Viktor Bout from federal prison.
Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral WNBA stories via Google! Follow Us
Griner had been sentenced to nine years in prison after being arrested in February when Russian airport officials said they found hash oil in her luggage.
She and her wife Cherelle were in attendance at Super Bowl LVII in Arizona.
