Brittney Griner is in agreement with the Atlanta Dream on a contract, bringing an end to her time with the Phoenix Mercury. Griner previously made the decision to test WNBA free agency, but a reunion with the Mercury remained a possibility. On Tuesday, Griner shared a video on Instagram of herself and Atlanta Dream players. Griner then surprised viewers by announcing that the players are set to be her teammates, as she is planning to sign with the Dream.
"I need to introduce my new teammates, because I will be joining the Atlanta Dream!" Griner said.
The former Mercury star then shared a heartfelt message on free agency and deciding to join the Dream.
"Free agency has been everything I wanted it to be," Griner said. "I was able to find where I wanted to go. Honestly what led me to that decision ultimately was the team, the players as individuals and then also my family. I'm thrilled for this chapter. This is my first time going into free agency and it was cool. It was a hard decision... You're leaving what you know, what I've known for my whole career... Also there's an excited factor of like, 'okay, this is like a rebrand now. I get to show them something different.'"
Brittney Griner set for next chapter in her WNBA career
Griner enjoyed a tremendous career in Phoenix with the Mercury. She earned a WNBA championship in 2014, the season after making her WNBA debut in 2013.
The Dream are surely excited about adding a veteran star such as Brittney Griner to the roster. Atlanta wants to compete in 2025, and this move should help them get closer to that goal.
Meanwhile, the Mercury are in an interesting position. Phoenix acquired Alyssa Thomas in a recent trade with the Connecticut Sun. Griner's departure and Dianna Taurasi's possible retirement add uncertainty to the roster, though. Moving on from Griner will be difficult without question.
With all of that being said, Griner seems to be excited about this next chapter in her WNBA career. At 34 years old, she would love to win another championship before retiring from the league. Atlanta probably won't compete for a championship during the 2025 season, but they could build a legitimate contender in future seasons. If the Dream can continue to add talent around Griner, then it would not be surprising to see them make noise in the postseason sooner rather than later.