Brittney Griner signs with Connecticut Sun in huge payday

The Connecticut Sun have made a major move for their upcoming season by signing a lucrative contract with Britney Griner, a nine-time WNBA All-Star and future Hall of Famer. Griner, who was drafted No. 1 overall in 2013, will be playing her 13th season in the league. This signing comes on the heels of the WNBA introducing a new collective bargaining agreement that will increase players’ salaries, making some of them millionaires for the first time in the league’s history.

Last season, Griner played for the Atlanta Dream and turned 35 in October. She had a standout season with the Dream, helping the team secure the No. 3 seed with a 30-14 record. Despite starting in her first 25 games, Griner was later moved to a bench role for the remainder of the season. She finished the 2025 season with career lows in points, rebounds, and blocks per game.

Prior to her time with the Dream, Griner spent 11 seasons with the Phoenix Mercury, where she established herself as one of the best players in WNBA history. She was part of the Mercury’s championship-winning team in 2014, alongside Diana Taurasi and DeWanna Bonner. Griner is also a three-time Olympic Gold Medalist and has won two World Cup titles.

In 2021, Griner was named to the W25 list, which honors the top 25 players in WNBA history in celebration of the league’s 25th anniversary. Her signing with the Connecticut Sun is expected to bolster the team’s roster and make them a strong contender in the upcoming season.