Brittney Griner texted Diana Taurasi on Tuesday morning asking how the USA Basketball coaching camp was going.
Griner was again in Arizona, selecting to skip the camp in Minnesota so she may be along with her spouse and get better from her time in a Russian jail. She returned to the U.S. in December after a dramatic prisoner swap.
“She wants to be a part of this like no one else,” Taurasi mentioned. “So, she’ll get there eventually. She’ll find her footing.”
Taurasi mentioned the 2 discuss frequently now that Griner is dwelling in Phoenix. They exercise collectively in addition to chat and textual content one another typically.
“We’ve been on the court together working out. We’ve sat down and talked for hours,” Taurasi mentioned. “It’s been really nice to reconnect It’s good to give her a hug. Know she was alive and still had the ability to be thankful and happy.”
There was a time throughout Griner’s 10-month ordeal in Russia that the 40-year-old Taurasi wasn’t positive she’d ever see her pal once more.
“Every single day we suffered and hoped she’d be back and not until I saw her, did I really believe it. And just to see her smile, just to see her free, was really emotional for everyone,” Taurasi mentioned. “And we knew, at the same time, the minute she got into that plane and we got to Phoenix, there was going to be a whole new set of challenges, a whole new reality, a whole new way of living life for BG.”
Griner has mentioned she’ll play for Phoenix once more this season though she’s nonetheless an unsigned free agent. She hasn’t talked about her worldwide future and doubtlessly enjoying for the U.S. on the Olympics subsequent yr in Paris. She’s helped the U.S. win two gold medals on the Olympics already.
USA Basketball coach Cheryl Reeve mentioned Monday that she hasn’t talked to Griner but, however the group made it clear that she may take on a regular basis she wanted to resolve if she wished to play for the U.S. once more.
“We’ve missed her and when she’s ready we’ll welcome her back,” Reeve mentioned.
