Jun 10, 2025; College Park, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Dream center Brittney Griner (42) is guarded by Indiana Fever forward Aliyah Boston (7) at Gateway Center Arena at College Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Brittney Griner Addresses Viral Lip Reading Controversy from Fever Game

Originally posted on Women's Fastbreak on SI
By Grant Young | Last updated Jun 15, 2025 3:10 PM ET

During the Atlanta Dream's May 22 loss to the Indiana Fever, star center Brittney Griner went viral for something she said when sitting back down on the bench after fouling out at one point in the game.

The game's broadcast camera followed Griner as she checked out of the game and returned to the Dream bench. She was clearly frustrated and said something while sitting down, and while it's unclear what exactly she said (there was no audio of her speaking), some who tried to read Griner's lips think she called Fever star guard Caitlin Clark "trash" along with other seemingly disrespectful comments.

To be clear, there's proof that Griner said any of these things. It's only what some fans online seemed to latch onto, which then caught fire on social media.

Brittney Griner calls Caitlin Clark a “trash, fcking white girl”..

Any comment? @WNBA pic.twitter.com/CY8bZRmR70
— American AF (@iAnonPatriot) May 24, 2025

Griner hadn't spoken about this moment until she was asked about it before her team's June 15 game against the Washington Mystics.

"I remember fouling out, being mad. I remember fouling out on, I believe it was [Natasha] Howard driving to the basket. They said I put my hand in," Griner said, per an X post from Dan Zaksheske of Outkick.

Griner was then asked what she said in that moment, and she said, "I really can't remember what I said, honestly." Zaksheske then asked if whether showing her the video of her speaking would help, and Griner said it wouldn't.

I asked Brittney Griner what she said after fouling out against the Indiana Fever three weeks ago (since no one else has asked since then), and she said she "can't remember."

I offered to show her the viral clip to jog her memory, but she said that "wouldn't help." pic.twitter.com/mdXxhMwwGM
— Dan Zaksheske (@RealDanZak) June 15, 2025

It seems that the women's basketball world will never really know what Griner said in that moment, and any stances about it will remain mere speculation.

This article first appeared on Women's Fastbreak on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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