Brittney Griner agrees to join new basketball league

Mar 12, 2017; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner in attendance of the Phoenix Suns game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Brittney Griner has found a new offseason gig.

Unrivaled, a women’s three-on-three professional basketball league that was founded last year, announced to social media Wednesday that the Phoenix Mercury center Griner will be joining their league. Griner is one of 30 pro players set to compete in the league when it formally tips off in Jan. 2025.

BG IS UNRIVALED 24/30 WHO’S NEXT @brittneygriner pic.twitter.com/fA8POEyv4B

— Unrivaled Basketball (@Unrivaledwbb) October 2, 2024

Founded in 2023 by WNBA All-Stars Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, Unrivaled was set up to give WNBA players an avenue to make money during the offseason without having to go overseas to play. That is particularly fitting for the former WNBA scoring champion Griner, who was arrested and convicted on drug charges while overseas in Russia in 2022. She spent nearly 10 months in jail before being released in a controversial prisoner swap between the U.S. and Russia.

Griner returned to the WNBA in May 2023, and she continued her strong play in the 2024 season as well. She averaged 17.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game this year for the Mercury and also was a member of the gold medal-winning United States team at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Now Griner is set to continue playing this WNBA offseason for Unrivaled.