Brittney Griner named WNBA Western Conference Player of the Week

For the 10th time in her career, Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner has been named the WNBA Western Conference Player of the Week.

BY JOHNNY SOTO

Jul 12, 2021, 6:10 PM Updated: 6:11 pm

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Brittney Griner #42 of the Phoenix Mercury puts up a shot over Mercedes Russell #2, Epiphanny Prince #11 and Katie Lou Samuelson #33 during the first half of the WNBA game at Phoenix Suns Arena on July 09, 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Mercury defeated the Storm 85-77. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

For the 10th time in her career, Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner has been named the WNBA Western Conference Player of the Week.

It is the second most in Mercury history, only guard Diana Taurasi (20) has won the honor more times.

Griner started the week by scoring a season-high 33 points against the Las Vegas Aces on July 7 as the Mercury defeated Vegas, 99-90 in overtime. The Mercury center also collected a double-double in the win as she grabbed 10 rebounds and added five assists and three blocks in the victory.

It was the eighth time in WNBA history that a player recorded 30-plus points, 10-plus rebounds, five-plus assists and three-plus blocks in a game. It was also the second time in Phoenix history that a player put up that stat line, Taurasi did it first on June 20, 2008.

In the Mercury’s second game last week against the Seattle Storm on July 9, Griner recorded her 51st career double-double. She scored 29 points and collected 15 rebounds as the Mercury defeated the Storm, 85-77.

“It’s two games, we still gotta maintain 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐰. It feels good to beat the two best teams obviously but we still got work to do.”

– Sandy Brondello pic.twitter.com/rEb9y2ed5o

— Phoenix Mercury (@PhoenixMercury) July 10, 2021

Additionally, it was Griner’s 10th double-double of the year, matching the franchise record for double-doubles in a single season.

Griner achieved the same feat back in 2018 for Phoenix. Former Mercury forward Candice Dupree was the first to do so for the franchise back in 2011.

The Phoenix center capped off the week against the Storm last Sunday by putting up 16 points, nine rebounds and three assists. The Mercury finished the week with a 2-1 record.

On the year, Griner is averaging 20.5 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2 blocks and 2.1 assists for Phoenix.