Brittney Griner (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner was involved in a physical altercation with Los Angeles Sparks forward Rickea Jackson on Tuesday night.
Rickea Jackson was handed her first WNBA ejection after getting into an on-court scuffle with Brittney Griner.
The scuffle started when Jackson and Griner were boxing out during a free throw. After the shot went up, Griner turned and threw her elbow in Jackson’s face.
Brittney Griner responded to Jackson talking trash by walking up and raising her hand to her face.
Jackson swatted Griner’s hand out of the way, and both players were restrained before anything physical materialized.
Both players were ejected after the brief scuffle with 18.8 seconds left before halftime.
Brittney Griner and Rickea Jackson 👀👀 pic.twitter.com/YxUdsNEKYE
— Tyler DeLuca (@TylerDeLuca) September 18, 2024
After the game, Brittney Griner took her anger to Instagram and responded to fans who had something to say about her.
One fan stated in the comments, “Why is that man always trying to fight these women?”
Brittney Griner fired back with, “Cuz mfs want to try me and they can get this action.”
Another fan said, “Britt, you wasn’t tuff in Russia.”
Griner fired back, “And yo a– would of been someone bitch.”
Griner posted “Come and get me then” to a fan telling her to go back to Russia.
Nah Brittney Griner wildin on IG 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/hIbLopPTsD
— Hater Report (@HaterReport_) September 18, 2024
Brittney Griner wants all the smoke pic.twitter.com/5zcXuowcQ6
— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) September 18, 2024
Brittney Griner Cried During National Anthem at Olympics After Past Protests And Russian Imprisonment
Standing on the medal stand with her third gold medal draped around her neck, Brittney Griner was a different women for many reasons.
Griner was sentenced to a nine-year prison sentence in Russia but was released through a prison swap months later.
Griner cried when the national anthem was played following the U.S. women’s national team’s gold medal victory against France at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics.
In an interview with Yahoo! Sports, the Phoenix Mercury star said she shed tears upon hearing “Star Spangled Banner” in Paris because she didn’t think she would get to experience following her nearly 10-month imprisonment in Russia.
“My country fought for me to get back. And I was able to bring home gold for my country. There’s just no greater feeling,” said Griner. “My emotions are all over the place….I didn’t think I would be here. And to be here, winning gold, for my country, representing, when my country fought for me so hard to even be standing here. That’s why this gold medal, compared to the other two, was different.”
