Mercury coach would not let Brittney Griner play in NBA Summer League

Brittney Griner was selected by the Phoenix Mercury with the first overall pick in the WNBA draft last week. That was never in doubt, but her potential NBA future could be.

Thanks to Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and his comments about drafting Griner in the second round of the NBA Draft if she was the best on the board, there has been a lot of speculation about whether the former Baylor star will attempt to carve out a career playing alongside men. According to Mercury coach Corey Gaines, Griner will not be pursuing an NBA career at the expense of the one she already has with the WNBA.

“Summer League is messing with our games,” Gaines told the Dallas Morning News on Monday. “I think that won’t happen. That wouldn’t be a smart thing. If (Cuban) wants to talk about it, talk about it – it’s better for us.”

Griner has stated in previous interviews that the WNBA will be her priority, and it would be incredibly unrealistic to think she can juggle the two. If you ask this NBA legend and this Hall of Fame women’s coach, they would tell you its a nonissue because Griner could never make it in the NBA. The fact that her current coach does not want her playing in the NBA Summer League simply creates another obstacle.

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