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The Connecticut Sun have struggled all season and head into Wednesday’s road game against the Toronto Tempo with the worst record in the WNBA at 2-15, with health issues for star center Brittney Griner continuing to make things difficult.
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Griner has appeared in just six games this season. After missing several games with a left foot injury early in the campaign, she has been dealing with a lingering rib issue since May 20.
The veteran center returned after missing four straight games in Friday’s loss to the Chicago Sky, and she looked dominant, posting 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting along with eight rebounds, five assists, and three blocks. However, she was sidelined again for the Sun’s loss to the New York Liberty on Monday night.
While Griner was ruled out a day earlier for the Liberty game due to a rib strain, there is some positive news heading into Wednesday night’s matchup: the Sun has upgraded her status to
Given her performance against the Sky last week, and head coach Rachid Meziane telling reporters the team was giving her “rest” against the Liberty, the expectation is that she will be available for the game against the Tempo, even if in a limited role.
And given the position the Sun find themselves in, they desperately need the services of the two-time Defensive Player of the Year to help turn their season around.
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Griner signed a one-year, $1.19 million contract with Connecticut ahead of the season, and when healthy, she has been highly productive, averaging 12.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game while shooting 54.5% from the field and 70.8% from the free-throw line.
A Look at Griner’s WNBA Career
Griner was selected first overall by the Phoenix Mercury in the 2013 WNBA Draft and spent 11 seasons with the franchise, establishing herself as one of the league’s most dominant players. During that span, she earned 10 All-Star selections, won two scoring titles, led the league in blocks eight times, and was named to seven All-Defensive Teams.
She also won back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year awards in 2014 and 2015 while helping lead the Mercury to a WNBA championship in 2014. Griner was additionally named a Peak Performer in both 2017 and 2018.
Before joining the Sun, Griner spent the 2025 season with the Atlanta Dream, helping the team reach the playoffs. Now in Connecticut, she will hope to quickly regain full health and help spark a turnaround for a team that has endured a difficult start to the season.
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Related: WNBA to Punish Brittney Griner After Flagrant Foul on Angel Reese
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This story was originally published June 10, 2026 at 4:57 AM.