Brittney Griner to test the market
for the first time in career as WNBA free agency opens
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[January 22, 2025]
By DOUG FEINBERG
MIAMI (AP) — Brittney Griner is testing the free agent market for
the first time in her career.
The All-Star center is taking meetings starting Tuesday with
multiple teams, according to her agent. WNBA executives were in
Miami for the opening of Unrivaled to talk with Griner and other
free agents.
Griner has been a free agent before, but always re-signed with the
Phoenix Mercury since she was first drafted by the franchise in 2013
as the No. 1 pick.
“I want to show off my skills for free agency,” Griner said of
playing in the new league, which seems to be dominated more by
guards and wings then post players.
Unrivaled has some of the top unrestricted free agents, like Griner
and Courtney Vandersloot, as well as a few players who most likely
will play on other teams next season despite being given the
franchise tag by their current WNBA squad.
“There’s a ton of free agents here,” New York Liberty star Breanna
Stewart said. “It’s like a one-stop shop to kind of do everything.”
The new league is a unique opportunity for free agents to build
relationships on and off the court with some of the star players on
potential destination teams.

“There’s conversations for sure. Everybody’s like ‘Hey, you want to
come play here?’” said Vandersloot, who has meetings this week with
multiple teams. “I think it’s great. You know, it gives you an
opportunity to get, like, real honest feedback about teams and say,
who wants to play with each other? We’re at a time in the league
that there’s going to be a lot of player movement.”
Coffees and dinners have been bought and conversations are
constantly being had among the 36 players. Vandersloot joked that
buying her a pack of IPA would be a good recruiting pitch.
“I’m an IPA drinker, so I guess that is not a requirement. But
listen, if you’re showing up with a pack of IPA, you might have a
head start,” she said laughing.
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WNBA player Brittney Griner watches the second half of the inaugura
Unrivaled 3-on-3 basketball game between the Lunar Owls and the
Mist, Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, in Medley, Fla. (AP Photo/Brittany
Peterson)

Some of the potential stars at Unrivaled who could
move teams include Satou Sabally, Jewell Loyd and Alyssa Thomas.
Sabally and Thomas were given the franchise tags by their WNBA teams
so the only way they could change teams would be via trade.
Sabally said that she doesn't plan to return to Dallas next season
to play for the Wings. Loyd isn't a free agent, but has requested a
trade from the Storm.
“This is the best place to be able to recruit free agents,” Phoenix
Mercury guard Natasha Cloud said. “At the end of the day, I’m very
much a person that’s whatever is best for Satou moving forward —
that’s what I want for Satou.”
Negotiations officially can begin Tuesday and players can sign
contracts starting Feb. 1. With a new CBA featuring massive salary
implications expected to come into effect in 2026, most players will
sign just one-year deals.
This season the Connecticut Sun and expansion Golden State Valkyries
have the most cap space to sign free agents. The Sun could lose most
of their starting lineup to free agency with DeWanna Bonner, Brionna
Jones and Thomas all potentially leaving.
“There's a lot to think about, a lot to process," Thomas said. "But
I'm going to weigh all my decisions.”
One free agent who is not at Unrivaled is Diana Taurasi. The WNBA's
all-time leading scorer is still weighing her decision on whether to
retire or come back for another season.
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