John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Brittney Griner Doesn’t Hide Her Anger During Paige Bueckers Game

Originally posted on Athlon Sports
By Rowan Fisher-Shotton | Last updated May 24, 2025 5:52 PM ET

Saturday afternoon’s clash between the Atlanta Dream and Paige Bueckers' Dallas Wings opened with a tight battle in College Park, Georgia.

Through 24 minutes, the Dream held a 37-30 lead, powered in part by Brittney Griner’s efficient first half.

The veteran center poured in 10 points on 5-of-9 shooting and pulled down five rebounds in her 16 minutes on the court.

What might have otherwise been a routine halftime media segment took an unexpected turn when Griner, pulled aside for a quick interview, abruptly walked away from her interviewer and headed towards an official.

Griner's parting words, "Be [expletive] better!" were caught on the live feed, immediately going viral on social media.

Omg Brittney Griner is INSANE. Just starts arguing with and yelling at the refs right before an interview LIKE THEY NOT ON LIVE TV

“BE F-CKING BETTER”

pic.twitter.com/Rir8uDJAxJ
— Hater Report (@HaterReport_) May 24, 2025

Griner entered the WNBA as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 draft and captured her first WNBA championship with the Phoenix Mercury in 2014.

She has been named to ten All-Star teams across her decade-plus in the league. On the defensive end, Griner has led the WNBA in blocks eight times and earned two Defensive Player of the Year awards (2014, 2015).

At Baylor University, Griner averaged 22.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 5.1 blocks across 148 collegiate games, earning back-to-back Naismith, Wooden, and AP Player of the Year honors in 2012 and 2013.

Internationally, she is a three-time Olympic gold medalist with Team USA (2016 Rio, 2021 Tokyo, 2024 Paris) and a two-time FIBA World Cup champion.

Griner’s halftime walk-off, though uncharacteristic for the usually composed center, underscores the high emotions and pressure that come with a rebuilding team eager to establish its identity.

The Dream enter the 2025 campaign having been knocked out of the first round of the WNBA playoffs in back-to-back seasons. Prior to 2024, Atlanta hadn't made the playoffs since 2018.

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

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