The Connecticut Sun have signed Brittney Griner to a seven-figure deal, according to Yahoo Sports.
The move comes two weeks after the news that Tilman Fertitta purchased the Sun with the intention of reviving the Houston Comets.
And if there’s any way to begin the new era for the former WNBA dynasty, it’s by building a team around a star player with Texas roots.
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Griner, a 6-foot-9 center and nine-time WNBA All-Star and three-time Olympic gold medalist, is one of the most decorated players in league history.
Griner spent the better part of her career with the Phoenix Mercury from 2013-24, winning the 2014 WNBA Championship, but spent the past season helping lead the Atlanta Dream to a franchise record 30 wins in a 30-14 season. That was despite not meshing well with the team’s offensive style, which focused on perimeter shooting. She averaged a career-low of 9.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 0.8 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game. She also played in the inaugural season of Unrivaled, the 3-on-3 basketball league founded by WNBA stars Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart.
Brittney Griner has signed a seven-figure deal with the Connecticut Sun, which means she will likely return home to Houston. (Ishika Samant/Getty Images)
But the move to the soon-to-be Comets will be a homecoming for Griner in 2027. The Houston native played for Nimitz High School, then for Baylor from 2009-2013, where she established herself as one of the greatest shot blockers in NCAA history while leading the Bears to a 2012 NCAA National Championship with a 40-0 record.
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The move comes after the WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement, which, according to ESPN, features a salary cap increase to $7 million and a 20-percent revenue-sharing model. The deal boosts average salaries to over $583,000, mandates 12-player rosters, and improves retirement and family benefits.
As the Sun prepare for their “sunset” season, Houstonians will be keeping a close eye on roster moves, not just for the potential drafting of a superstar in 2027, but also on how Griner meshes with her new team.
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This article originally published at The Houston Comets are going to have one of the biggest stars in the WNBA.