Brittney Griner receives emotional homecoming from Mercury and fans

Fans welcomed the former Phoenix Mercury center, who spent time signing autographs and taking pictures before Wednesday’s game. Griner also met up with former teammate Kahleah Copper and head coach Nate Tibbetts, with a video tribute played minutes before tip-off.

Mercury legend Diana Tausari and Penny Taylor were also in attendance, supporting their friend and former teammate. When asked about what it meant coming back to the desert, Griner said it “meant everything.”

“When I looked over, I saw [Taurasi] and [Taylor] over there, I think that kind of ignited me a little bit,” she said, according to the Mercury’s postgame notes. “Just being back on the court that I basically started my career on and played the majority of, it just felt good.”

Not only did fans in attendance show love for the 2014 WNBA Champion, but also fans online expressed how much Griner has meant to the organization.