Brittney Griner Tears Up During The National Anthem At The Olympics After Once Calling For The WNBA To Stop Playing It

Got a new appreciation for that national anthem, eh?

Brittney Griner and the US women’s basketball team brought home the gold on the final day of the Olympics with a win over France. And as the medals were being presented, Griner was spotted standing with her hand over her heart and tearing up as the Star Spangled Banner played.

Of course this wouldn’t really be newsworthy – I still get choked up during the national anthem sometimes and I’ve never done anything near as meaningful as winning a gold medal for my country – but just a few years ago, Griner had a different opinion about the song.

Back in 2020, Griner and her Phoenix Mercury WNBA team refused to take the court during the national anthem, and even called on the WNBA to stop playing the anthem ahead of games.

But a lot’s happened since then.

Griner was famously imprisoned in Russia for 10 months after being caught with vape cartridges containing hash oil while playing overseas. She was released in December 2022 in a prisoner swap in which the United States released convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.

After returning home, Griner has talked about gaining a new appreciation for the freedoms that she has as an American:

“Hearing the national anthem, it definitely hit different.”

I guess after losing your freedom, you gain a new perspective once you get it back.