Phoenix's Brittney Griner didn't quarrel with the three-game suspension she received from the WNBA on Tuesday, but was unhappy that two Dallas players involved in Saturday's fracas were punished less and said the decision would impact her future in the WNBA.
The Wings' Kristine Anigwe, who was involved in the initial scuffle with Griner, and Kayla Thornton, who attempted to get at Griner when she was being restrained by an official, each received two-game suspensions.
"I do not think it's fair," Griner said Tuesday afternoon. "Across the board, it should have been three for everybody [her, Anigwe and Thornton]. I'll take my punishment like a woman, and, hey, I'm not going to argue mine. But it should have been three across the board."
Griner, in her seventh season in the WNBA, and Anigwe, a rookie, got tangled up battling for rebounding position in the fourth quarter Saturday. Then Anigwe appeared to pull on Griner's arm and slap at her head. Griner pursued Angiwe to about halfcourt in front of the scorer's table and was restrained by a referee as Anigwe retreated.
Phoenix guard Diana Taurasi and Dallas forward Kaela Davis were also each suspended for one game and fined $500 for leaving the bench area. Mercury forward DeWanna Bonner was fined $500 for escalating the incident.
On Monday, Griner told Arizona Republic reporter Jeff Metcalfe that how the WNBA handled the suspensions may impact her future with the league. She plays overseas in the winter and spring in Russia, where she earns a seven-figure salary. That's compared to about $115,000 this season in the WNBA.
Tuesday, after receiving details of the suspensions, Griner reiterated that she was upset with the league.
"Does it impact my career in the WNBA? Yes, it does," she said. "Not right now, this second. But how long I go, yeah, it's definitely going to affect it. I mean, I love playing for the Mercury; that's the only reason I'm playing here right now. Definitely not playing for the W. The W don't do nothing."
Griner, the No. 1 draft pick in 2013, is 6-foot-9 and says she feels opponents are allowed to be excessively physical with her because of her size.
"I think this year is a little bit worse," Griner said. "But my whole career, it's always been hard for the officials, I guess, to officiate me. I don't understand why. Because it's easy: If it's a foul, it's a foul. No matter size, or who the person is, or who's doing it to who. A foul is a foul. Just call it how you see it, not how you feel on the person it's being done to."