Why is Brittney Griner not playing against the Dallas Wings today? (May 25) 

WNBA legend Brittney Griner is listed on the WNBA Injury Report this weekend ahead of the Phoenix Mercury's upcoming game against the Dallas Wings. While the game will see the team look to move one step closer to second place in the standings, the team will notably be without Brittney Griner. Earlier this month, Griner suffered a fractured toe that has forced her to the sidelines.

Since then, fans have been eagerly awaiting updates on her status given the Phoenix Mercury's hot start to the season. After finishing the year in last place with a record of 9-31, the Mercury have started this season with a bang.

After dropping the first game of the season to the Las Vegas Aces, who are looking to win a three-peat, the team has since won three straight times. During the stretch, the team also notably avenged their loss to the Aces, picking up a 98-88 win in their third game of the season.

Despite the impressive start to the season, the team will be without Griner for the time being until she is reevaluated.

---

What happened to Brittney Griner? Looking at Phoenix Mercury star's injury

As previously mentioned, Brittney Griner suffered a toe injury while in training camp for the 2024 WNBA season. The injury occurred during practice in the days following the team's May 7 loss to the Seattle Storm in the preseason.

While it's unclear what exactly transpired at practice to cause the injury, reports have indicated that Griner is expected to be reevaluated in the next few weeks. Per the ESPN WNBA injury report, Griner is expected to return by the end of the month.

That could, of course, change depending on how she heals up, however, it does mean that the team will have to manage without her for a bit longer. As coach Nate Tibbetts explained at the start of the regular season, the situation will give other players on the team a chance to step up for the team in Griner's absence.

---

Looking at Brittney Griner's play last season and the expectations for this year

Last season, Brittney Griner made an impressive return to the WNBA after spending time in a Russian detention facility and missing the 2022 season. Despite her time off, Griner played in 31 of the Mercury's 40 games last season, outperforming her career average of 56.0% from the field.

At the same time, she also averaged 17.5 points per game, a number on-par with her career average of 17.7 ppg. As Griner explained heading into this season, her goal is to be the Defensive Player of the Year, something she feels will play a key role in the team's success as they look to bounce back from last year's struggles.

Once she returns from injury, her play could be exactly what the team needs to set themselves up for a big postseason run.