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Brittney Griner brought her annual Heart and Sole shoe drive to Phoenix recently when her Atlanta Dream played the Mercury. (Photo courtesy of Phoenix Mercury)<\/p>\n
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Brittney Griner prepares to check back into the game during her return to the Valley on July 23, 2025. (Photo by Aishling Cavanaugh<\/a>\/Cronkite News)\u201d target=\u201d_blank\u201d>Aishling Cavanaugh\/Cronkite News)<\/p>\n PHOENIX \u2013 Even though Brittney Griner no longer wears the Phoenix Mercury uniform, a big part of her personality still lingers in the Valley.<\/p>\n The Mercury welcomed back the nine-time All-Star last Wednesday at PHX Arena, where she posted 17 points for the Atlanta Dream in their 90-79 win over Phoenix. But her presence off the court was even more significant. To celebrate Griner\u2019s return to the Valley, the Mercury continued her annual BG\u2019s Heart and Sole Shoe Drive.<\/p>\n Griner\u2019s shoe drive has become a Mercury tradition. The center founded the charitable program in 2016 after noticing a significant number of homeless people walking around Phoenix without shoes.<\/p>\n Even when Griner was wrongfully detained in Russia for 10 months in 2022, the shoe drive continued in her absence. Now, as a member of the Dream, Griner again teamed up with the Mercury to deliver shoes to the less fortunate.<\/p>\n \u201cEven when I was gone, it was still going,\u201d Griner said. \u201cIt just shows how much they (the Mercury) mean what they say when they say they\u2019re behind you.\u201d<\/p>\n Griner spent 11 seasons in Phoenix before signing with the Atlanta Dream this past offseason. During her time with the Mercury, she racked up personal and team accolades. She won a WNBA championship with Phoenix in 2014 and was a two-time Defensive Player of the Year and a seven-time member of the All-Defensive team.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s important to be able to provide those shoes to those that need them,\u201d said Carolyn Thierjung-Laing, a Mercury fan. \u201cWhether it\u2019s here or elsewhere, it\u2019s nice that it\u2019s continuing to really help those that are in need.\u201d<\/p>\n Brittney Griner smiles as she addresses the Phoenix media before her return to the court against her former team, the Mercury, on July 23, 2025. (Photo by Aishling Cavanaugh<\/a>\/Cronkite News)<\/p>\n Since its inception, Griner\u2019s Heart and Sole Shoe Drive has expanded significantly. This year, fans attending the game were able to make donations at a table located inside PHX Arena\u2019s pavilion.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s wonderful that she helped found that,\u201d said Melanie Thierjung-Laing, another member of the X-Factor, the Mercury\u2019s energetic fan base. \u201cKeeping it going is even more important.\u201d<\/p>\n Dolores Mejia and her family brought pairs of Moolah and Nike shoes to donate to the drive.<\/p>\n \u201cIt means a lot,\u201d Mejia said. \u201dPeople who might not get the opportunity to have nice shoes all the time get that opportunity through the shoe drive.\u201d<\/p>\n In her first game in front of the X-Factor as an opponent, Griner was her usual dominant presence, hauling in eight rebounds in addition to her 17 points in the Dream\u2019s win. When she was introduced to the home crowd, the fans showered Griner with an overwhelming amount of cheers. <\/p>\n Griner is averaging 11 points and 5.7 rebounds per game on 52% shooting from the field with Atlanta. The Mercury get another chance to hand Griner her first loss against her former team in an Aug. 1 rematch when they make the trip to Atlanta.<\/p>\n \u201cWe miss her so much,\u201d said Dolores\u2019s mother, Gina. \u201cShe just made such a huge impact on our community and our lives. The least we can do is keep contributing to the shoe drive she started.\u201d<\/p>\n With retired Mercury star Diana Taurasi watching her former teammate from the stands, emotions ran high throughout the night. The Mercury\u2019s championship trio of Griner, Taurasi and Phoenix forward DeWanna Bonner reunited after the game to catch up. <\/p>\n \u201cI mean, you can\u2019t mention Phoenix without mentioning BG,\u201d Bonner said. \u201cShe grew up here. She was drafted here, and she became a great person in this community.\u201d<\/p>\n Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts, in his second season with Phoenix, has had the opportunity to coach all three players from the team\u2019s 2014 championship run.<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s a great player, but she\u2019s a better person,\u201d Tibbetts said of Griner. \u201cHow she approaches life and all the things she\u2019s been through. She\u2019s got a really good vision of what this is all about.\u201d<\/p>\n Follow Cronkite News: Phoenix Sports on Twitter<\/a>.<\/p>\n ![\"Brittney](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/BrittneyGriner-1.jpg\")
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