U.S. women's basketball star Brittney Griner is now a three-time Olympic gold medalist.
Since being selected first overall in the 2013 WNBA Draft, Griner has been a member of Team USA's gold medal-winning teams in 2016, 2021 and 2024. And while all gold medals are significant accomplishments, there's no denying the added significance of Griner's win in 2024.
As the "Star-Spangled Banner" played to honor the 2024 Olympic gold medalists, Griner was moved to tears while she stood on the podium with her 11 teammates. The emotional moment is a reminder of her journey to get back to this point.
After Team USA's win in women's basketball, the Star-Spangled Banner rings out one last time at the #ParisOlympics. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/ede9dTQfsq
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 11, 2024
The Paris Olympics marked Griner's first time competing internationally since she was wrongfully detained in Russia for 10 months in 2022.
MORE: How Brittney Griner advocated for release of Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich
When returned to the WNBA for the 2023 season, the Phoenix Mercury star explained how the national anthem held added significance given everything she went through during her detainment.
"Hearing the national anthem, it definitely hit different," Griner said during the 2023 preseason. "It's like when you go for the Olympics, you're sitting there, about to get gold put on your neck, the flags are going up and the anthem's going, it just hits different."
Griner represented Team USA twice before her detainment. Her new understanding of the national anthem's significance came from personal experience, and it also provided some foreshadowing of the emotions she would feel if given the opportunity to represent the country again.
While representing the red, white and blue for the third time in her Olympic career, Griner, 33, made her presence felt throughout the tournament. Without Griner's contributions in the gold medal game, Team USA may not have stood atop the podium in Paris.
MORE: How USA beat France for historic eighth consecutive gold medal
Brittney Griner Olympics stats 2024
- 14.2 minutes per game
- 7.3 points per game
- 4.2 rebounds per game
- 64.3% field goal shooting
- 66.7% free throw shooting
