Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Atlanta Dream Coach Has Strong Words for Brittney Griner on Sunday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Max Escarpio | Last updated Aug 10, 2025 11:06 PM ET

The Atlanta Dream returned one of their most prized possessions, Brittney Griner, for a matchup against the Phoenix Mercury.

Griner had missed three straight games ahead of the team's matchup against Phoenix.

She was working through a neck injury that kept her sidelined, joining Rhyne Howard as another Dream star to be dealt an unfortunate injury.

After missing three straight games, Griner returned to the lineup to play her former team, helping Atlanta earn a 74-66 victory over the Mercury.

Atlanta Dream head coach Karl Smesko discussed the return of Griner after the game, mentioning that she had a great performance against one of the best teams in the WNBA.

"I thought BG was great," Smesko said. "She was moving great. She looked really good out there. Defensively, she was excellent. She was controlling the point. I thought really good first game back for her."

Griner finished the win over the Phoenix Mercury with two points, two rebounds and one assist. She capped off the night playing 13 minutes in her first game back with the Atlanta Dream.

Griner is currently playing in her first season with the Dream, looking to help lead Atlanta to a WNBA title alongside stars Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray.

While the Dream have dealt with several injuries and setbacks during the season, they have climbed up the league standings, holding the No. 3 slot in the entire WNBA.

Throughout her first season with the Dream, Brittney Griner has posted 10.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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