Ten-time WNBA All-Star Brittney Griner has confirmed in an Instagram post that she is joining the Atlanta Dream as a free agent.
Earlier Tuesday, both ESPN and the Associated Press reported Griner agreed to a one-year deal with the Dream, citing undisclosed sources. Free-agent contracts cannot be signed until Saturday however.
Griner posted on Instagram from a boat she shared with some Dream players in Miami on Tuesday and referred to them as “my new teammates.”
Griner has spent her entire 11-year career with Phoenix since getting drafted No. 1 overall in 2013. The 6-foot-9 center decided to test free agency for the first time this offseason.
Her free agency didn’t last long however. “I will be joining the Atlanta Dream,” she said.
“I was able to find where I wanted to go,” Griner said in the video. “And 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.”
Griner becomes the most prominent free-agent signing in Dream history, and she joins a talented squad led by Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray.
The Dream made a coaching change this offseason too, bringing in Karl Smesko from Florida Gulf Coast. Griner, Howard and Gray are playing in the new 3-on-3 league Unrivaled this offseason.
The Dream went 15-25 last season and made the playoffs for the second straight year. They were eliminated in the first round by eventual WNBA champion New York.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
The 34-year-old Griner missed the 2022 season when she was detained for nearly 10 months in a Russian prison after authorities said a search of her luggage revealed vape cartridges containing oil derived from cannabis. She was freed in a prisoner swap when the United States released notorious Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.
Griner also had discussions with Dallas and Las Vegas, according to the AP. WNBA executives were in Miami for the opening of Unrivaled to talk with Griner and other free agents. With a new CBA featuring massive salary implications expected to come into effect in 2026, most players will sign just one-year deals.
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