Connecticut Sun center Brittney Griner has made her presence known in her first season with the team, as the veteran continues to etch her name as a lock for the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Griner continued her great bounce-back season with the Sun, getting a desperately needed 90-87 win over the Portland Fire. To close out the game, she finished with a game-high 20 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 1 steal to help her team capture just their sixth win of the year.
This performance from Griner was huge for the Sun as they try to salvage any kind of life for the rest of the 2026 WNBA season. It was more important, though, for Griner as she tries to get as close to history as possible.
Brittney Griner Moved Up on All-Time WNBA List in One Statistical Category
GettyBrittney Griner spectates an April 5 college basketball game.
During the win over the Fire, Griner was quiet on the boards, with only four rebounds. That was enough for her, though, to boost her career stats, which will be compared to the best in league history.
Brittney Griner got buckets for breakfast in this morning’s game 🔥
BG not only marked double figures, but she also now has a new milestone on the WNBA All-Time rebound leaders list. She now sits at No. 16, bringing her to 2,602 rebounds
Those four rebounds moved Griner up to 16th on the all-time WNBA rebounds list, passing former two-time All-Star Sancho Lyttle. Griner is now up to 2,602 career rebounds and is chasing New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart, who has 2,267.
It has been quite the career for Griner, as she has been a 10-time All-Star, two-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year winner, two-time scoring champion, and won the WNBA title in 2014 as a member of the Phoenix Mercury. She is about as accomplished as any center in the league’s history.
Connecticut Sun Hope to Keep The Winning Going With Brittney Griner
GettyHailey Van Lith #2 of the Connecticut Sun looks on during the third quarter of the season opener against the New York Liberty at Barclays Center on May 08, 2026 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. The New York Liberty won 106-75.
It’s a pivotal moment in the Sun’s season, as they were coming off a stretch in which they had lost three of the previous four games before the win over the Fire. Connecticut started the year with a 2-15 record, but has been coming around lately, posting a 4-3 record in the last seven games.
Griner’s play has had a lot to do with that for the Sun, but other players like Aneesah Morrow and Leila Lacan have helped ride the ship of late. Morrow has arguably been the most important player outside of Griner, as she is nearly averaging a double-double per game (10.5 points and 9.4 rebounds).
Coming up on the Sun’s calendar are back-to-back games against Griner’s old team, the Mercury, both played in Phoenix on Friday and Sunday. It will be the first time the two teams have played each other all year.
Their schedule doesn’t get easier after that with a showdown against the Indiana Fever on the road. This six-game road trip for the Sun will determine what kind of team they are and if they can inch closer to history themselves.
Brittney Griner Inches Closer to WNBA History in Sun’s Close Win