Brittney Griner Backs Out of 2 Games on the Road

Since May, Brittney Griner has been back in game mode on the basketball court with her team, the Phoenix Mercury. Now, the WNBA star is taking a bit of a break, to take a little more care of herself in the aftermath of her detention in Russia, reports CBS News. On Saturday, the Mercury announced the 32-year-old Griner wouldn't be accompanying the team on a two-game road trip through Tuesday, which comes with scheduled matches in Indiana and Chicago, due to a plan instead "to focus on her mental health."

CNN notes that Griner has already put in 20 games for Phoenix so far this season, including the league's All-Star Game earlier this month, Griner's ninth. So far, she's averaging 18.2 points per game. The Mercury as a team is in 10th place, with a 6-17 record. It's not clear if anything precipitated this most recent decision, or if Griner's hiatus will extend beyond those two games. "The Mercury fully support Brittney and we will continue to work together on a timeline for her return," the team noted in its statement. (More Brittney Griner stories.)