Baylor’s Griner aims to elevate game to Olympic level

Even in a room full of WNBA and international veterans, players who have won championships of every kind and been recognized as the best in the world, Brittney Griner stood out Tuesday.

A 6-foot-8-inch women's basketball player, even one sharing a court with the likes of Diana Taurasi, Candace Parker and Maya Moore, is hard to miss.

Now Griner, who will be the face of women's college basketball next season when she returns to Baylor, is trying to show she not only stands out but that she belongs on the loaded U.S. Olympic team conducting training camp this week at Cox Pavilion.

It can be an intimidating task for the youngest player on a 26-member roster trying to make the final cut of 12 for next year's London Olympics, and Griner received her first taste of what the competition is like.

"That's the first time she's been in a scenario like this where every time down the floor there's a big body that's hitting her," U.S. coach Geno Auriemma said. "The game is much, much, much quicker than she's used to playing at in college.

"I think for the first day she was here, you could see some of the things that she is going to be able to do. I thought it was a really good first day for her. I think as she gets more comfortable, we'll start to see even more of the things she does. Right now, she's kind of tentative because she's just not sure."

Sue Bird, one of only seven players to win WNBA and NCAA championships and Olympic gold, remembers how daunting it was facing the 2000 national team that included Lisa Leslie and Sheryl Swoopes.

"These are players you watched growing up and players you looked up to," Bird said. "I think there's a little bit of a timidness there at first, but you can see the talent is there (with Griner). All that discomfort will shed away, and she'll be able to assert herself."

Griner, 20, was welcomed by the vets. Parker even took her aside and showed her ways to move and establish position.

"It's kind of overwhelming," Griner said. "Everybody out here I've looked up to and still look up to. I'm sitting on the bus with them. I'm sitting down eating with them. We're just having regular conversations and out here playing ball."

Griner earned her way to the U.S. camp after leading Baylor to the Final Four in 2010 and the round of eight this season before a heartbreaking loss to eventual national champion Texas A&M.

The junior-to-be averaged 23 points, 7.8 rebounds and 4.6 blocks per game this season and is one of only two women, along with Parker, to dunk twice in a college game.

Opponents often send multiple defenders at Griner, and some will grab or hold to try to frustrate her.

She gave in once as a freshman, throwing a punch that broke a Texas Tech player's nose. Griner was suspended for two games, and since then she has kept her composure against such tactics.

"It used to be frustrating, but I've gotten so used to it that it's kind of normal now," Griner said. "When I get one person on me, then it's kind of like, 'Let me think back, I can do this and this.' But two and three, I'm kind of used to. That's kind of like one-on-one now."

The physical play gets only more intense in practices this week, and those workouts are good preparation for the big front lines that the Americans will see should they face Russia or Australia in the Olympics.

Griner hopes to be on board with the U.S. team next year when it tries to win its seventh gold medal in nine appearances, and her presence would give the Americans a unique look.

"I think we've got three potentially really good centers, but none of the three are as long or as disruptive as Brittney can be potentially," Auriemma said. "There's a great opportunity for her."

Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914. Follow him on Twitter: @markanderson65.