The 2023 WNBA season appears ripe with joy with the season on the horizon, but nothing will top the return of Brittney Griner. First and foremost, it’s just wonderful that BG is back home, safe, and in good health. She’s a lightning rod for hope and light to those around her, and she’s eager to get back on the court playing for the Mercury this season. 

While noting that it’s a blessing just to have BG back at all, it’s prescient remembering what makes her such a special player.

As a 2x scoring champ, 8x All-Star, and 2x Defensive Player of the Year, her career and impact are one of a kind.

Griner’s intersection of skill and size, standing 6’9, is something fierce.

She moves her feet incredibly well, capable of playing multiple defensive coverages while excelling as one of the best rim protectors in the history of basketball. PBP Tracking Stats from the 2021 season paint the picture of BG’s defensive impact (By gauging the difference in what happened with a player on or off the court, you can derive an idea of their impact alongside watching to fill out an even clearer image).

• Opposition shot only 24.3% of their total shots at the rim with BG on the court, as opposed to 29.3% with her off. Shots at the rim are the most efficient shots in the game typically, and deterring them is a huge part of good defense.
• With BG on the floor, Phoenix surrendered only allowed a 56.4% field goal percentage at the rim, compared to 58.9% with her on the bench.
• Considering that there are four other defensive players on the court at any given time (not weighted in these metrics), that makes the impact that much more impressive.

BG is a dominant post and paint presence, shooting 69.5% at the rim during the 2021 season, ranking 3rd in the league amongst players who took five or more shots around the rim per game, according to Synergy Sports.

She was the third most efficient high-volume post-up scorer in the league (5 or more post-ups per game), generating high-quality looks that have been a lethal pairing with Diana Taurasi’s shooting prowess for the better part of a decade. 

Griner’s jumper has proven a significant counter that’s made her a fantastic inside-out presence. While only 18.5% of her shots came from jumpers, her efficiency was remarkable, shooting 50% on them, including 46.5% from 17 feet to just inside the three-point line, where the majority of her jump shots come from.

Given her screening ability and Taurasi’s ability to create out-of-ball screens and side-to-side action, the Mercury have dominated with a spread-out offense that beautifully blended the duo’s greatest strengths. I often feel that BG’s feel for the game gets understated; she’s adept at playing in the flow of an offense, is a savvy passer picking apart double teams she commands, and adapts to adverse situations and defensive strategies employed against her.

Brittney Griner isn’t just the complete package as a basketball player, she’s an all-time great, with a diverse skill set and elite understanding of the game. I can’t wait to see her on the court again in the near future!

WNBA reporter Mark Schindler writes a column on WNBA.com throughout the season and can be reached on Twitter at @MG_Schindler. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the WNBA or its clubs.