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WNBA DRAFTApril 15, 2013Brittney GrinerBRISTOL, CONNECTICUT BRITTNEY GRINER: I guess first off I'd just like to say I'm excited and I'm glad that the day finally has came. I'm glad to say I'm a Phoenix Mercury, and all the X‑Factor fans out there get ready to pack out the house. Q. I guess if you could, you'd said on the broadcast that you kind of lost it after the pick. Can you kind of walk me through what that was like for you and mentally kind of where you were when you finally heard your name? BRITTNEY GRINER: I mean, when I heard my name go, my heart just kind of stopped. My mind stopped, and I was just frozen in time I guess you could say. That's why I was kind of lost for words. I was just taking in the moment when honestly I guess I should have been saying just what I just told you, honestly. Just the anticipation and just the wait. I've been up since 7:00 this morning just on the go, and it finally came and it was here, and I didn't want to let go. Q. Last year Nneka went No.1 overall, this year you went No.1 overall. Houston seems to be making a big impact on the WNBA. Can you comment on that? BRITTNEY GRINER: Definitely. Down in Houston we have great players that come out, and we're still doing great things. Don't go to sleep on Houston because next year I'm pretty sure somebody will be coming out and just doing great things. I'm just glad that all the Houstonian girls are doing big things and making a difference. Q. Is there any little thing that you feel that you bring to Phoenix that is not talked about? They talk about your dunks obviously, they talk about your size and the things you've done in college, but one little thing that you feel you can bring to the WNBA and to Phoenix that has not been talked about. BRITTNEY GRINER: I mean, I always go to my defense, but part of my game that I think is overlooked a little bit is my shot. I just feel like that's something that will be probably a little surprising, just my soft touch around the basket and the hook shots. I guess that element of my game. Q. Have you heard from any of your future Phoenix teammates, Diana Taurasi or anything before tonight? BRITTNEY GRINER: Yes, before today D reached out to me and just told me just enjoy this. If I get the chance to come out there, she's definitely looking‑‑ she's just reaching out to me to just tell me live the moment and enjoy this right now. Q. Are there any players you're looking forward to playing against? BRITTNEY GRINER: Definitely looking forward to playing against Sylvia. I definitely looked up to her when she was at LSU, and right now I still look up to her just because she's tall, she's long, and she's a force in the paint. Just having that respect for her I've always, I guess, looked forward to the match‑up. Q. Coach Gaines had kind of said that the rules of the WNBA suit you more so than the college game I guess just with the no zone defenses. Can you comment on that and how you feel like your game is suited to the WNBA? BRITTNEY GRINER: Definitely. You know, it's definitely going to open it up and let me operate a little bit more than back in college where teams can just pack the paint, put everybody in the paint. You can't do that anymore. And even if you could pack the paint and keep them in there, there's so many threats on the Mercury team, like how could you do that, because you're definitely going to leave somebody wide open, and anybody on that roster can definitely be a threat and score. Q. Can you talk about being the No.1 pick, usually that pick is‑‑ you're coming in with so much pressure, just the fact that you have the No.1 pick, talk about coming into a team like Diana and Penny and DeWanna and Dupree. There's not much pressure on you because there's so many veterans. Talk about how that's going to help you. BRITTNEY GRINER: Definitely. There's definitely no pressure because I'm surrounded by all these great players, and definitely can take advantage of it by learning from them. But like you said, I don't have to come in and be the focal point and try to have to do everything. I can just come in and focus on one little thing and just bring my‑‑ whatever that one little thing is, bring it to the court. Q. Corey Gaines joked about maybe even doing alley‑oops with you. Is that realistic and have you practiced that before? BRITTNEY GRINER: Yeah, definitely. It's definitely realistic. I can catch oops real well, and I have no doubt in my mind that D can definitely throw me those oops. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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