LAS VEGAS — A few days before the All-Star Game, in a poetic sort of foreshadowing, Courtney Vandersloot decided to watch highlights of Brittney Griner dunking.

The 6-foot-9 Phoenix Mercury center has been known for the skill since her college days at Baylor, and Griner and Vandersloot have now both been in the league for a long time — a decade for Griner and 12 years for Vandersloot. They’ve played together overseas and against each other in the WNBA. Seeing Griner dunk brought back happy memories for the Liberty guard.

Last season, Vandersloot and the rest of the WNBA weren’t sure if they would see Griner again at all, let alone dunking on a basketball court.

But on July 9, she threw one down against the Sparks for her first of the season. And on Saturday, there she was again, dunking twice in the All-Star Game and adding a new highlight to the videos Vandersloot was watching.

Brittney Griner was back where she belonged.

BG IS BACKKKK 🔨

Brittney Griner with the early slam on ABC! | @ATT #WNBAAllStar pic.twitter.com/2IFGgLMGPh

— WNBA (@WNBA) July 16, 2023

“Just to see her smile again, she just lights up the WNBA community,” DeWanna Bonner said before the game. “I’m super excited that she gets to be back here and experience this.”

When Griner was announced, the Las Vegas crowd erupted into booming cheers. This time last year, she was still wrongfully detained in a Russian prison. Her presence was felt as the WNBA’s 2022 All-Stars honored Griner by all coming out in the second half wearing her No. 42 jersey.

But on Saturday, there was only one Griner jersey on the floor. The only one the WNBA needed.

It was a powerful, heartfelt moment. But that’s not why Griner was in Las Vegas. The Mercury center made her ninth All-Star appearance because, against all odds, she’s in the midst of an incredible season.

When Griner returned home, she promised to play basketball in 2023 but said it would take her time to get her footing once again. In reality, that hasn’t been the case.

In her first game of the season, Griner recorded 18 points, six rebounds, four blocks and two assists, and since then, she’s continued to stuff the stat sheet. The Mercury are struggling, currently second-to-last in the league standings with a 4-15 record, but Griner is not. She’s averaging 19.5 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game.

Seeing Griner smiling, joking with teammates, interacting with fans and even eating bacon and snow cones on the sidelines during All-Star weekend served as a reminder of what was missing when she was gone. Brittney Griner the person is truly something special.

THE @ATT #WNBAAllStar Game missed @brittneygriner so much but she’s BACKKKK 💪

Welcoming BG to the floor for Team Stewart pic.twitter.com/kcnXA9tunw

— WNBA (@WNBA) July 16, 2023

So is Brittney Griner the basketball player. Seeing her with a ball in her hand, wearing an All-Star jersey was just as impactful. And Griner has been impacting the game for years, dating back to her days at Baylor.

“She’s one of the best to ever do it,” Vandersloot said. “She’s unstoppable, unguardable. It’s incredible what she’s been able to do.”

In the All-Star Game, Griner put up 18 points, 13 rebounds, two assists and two blocked shots.

From the sidelines, Stanford star and fellow post player Cameron Brink marveled at Griner’s skills. Brink grew up watching Griner, gleaning whatever she could from the center’s game.

“She’s iconic,” Brink said. “If she drops-steps, you better take charge or something, because you’re not stopping her. She has great body control, a great spin move. She just has a great package of footwork.”

Griner has served as inspiration for a generation of post players who have come behind her, many of whom are in the league now.

Ezi Magbegor still remembers the first time she had to guard Griner when Australia faced the United States in the 2018 FIBA World Cup. Now, the two are peers in the WNBA.

Despite being 6-9 and dominant in the paint, Griner doesn’t just rely on her size, something the 6-4 Magbegor admires.

“She’s not one-dimensional,” the Storm forward said. “She can shoot, and she moves up and down the floor really well. Her presence on the court defensively and offensively is felt, and that is something we all look up to. She’s brought a lot to the game.”

Griner has been consistent on the court from her time at Baylor — where she won an NCAA Championship and was named National Player of the Year in 2012 — to her WNBA career. Since the Mercury selected her with the top overall pick in 2013, Griner has won a WNBA Championship, been named an All-Star seven times and earned a spot on six All-WNBA Teams and seven All-WNBA Defensive Teams.

During her career, Griner has never averaged fewer than 12.6 points and 6.3 rebounds per game — the numbers she put up during her rookie campaign.

With that kind of dominance, it comes as no surprise that after Saturday’s All-Star Game, Griner was asked what it would be like to play as an All-Star in Phoenix, the host site of the 2024 game.

There was no qualifying statement of “if you’re selected,” because Griner having another All-Star season feels like a foregone conclusion.

That’s what happens when, as Vandersloot said, you’re one of the best to ever do it.

Eden Laase is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @eden_laase.

On today's episode of The Late Sub, host Claire Watkins joins the chat from Kansas City, where Orlando Pride and Washington Spirit will kick off the 2024 NWSL Championship on Saturday.

Watkins breaks down the full Championship matchup, from each team's path to the Final to the tactics to expect on Saturday's pitch and everything in between. She also dishes on key players to watch — including Pride star Barbra Banda and Spirit attacker Trinity Rodman — and some of the recent injuries keeping star athletes on the sidelines.

Later, Watkins congratulates UConn head coach Geno Auriemma on Wednesday's record-breaking 1,217th victory — one that made saw him pass retired Stanford boss Tara VanDerveer to become the winningest college basketball coach in NCAA history.

The Late Sub with Claire Watkins brings you the latest news and freshest takes in women’s sports. This is the weekly rundown you’ve been missing, covering the USWNT, NWSL, WNBA, college hoops, and whatever else is popping off in women’s sports each week. Special guest appearances with the biggest names in women’s sports make The Late Sub a must-listen for every fan. Follow Claire on X/Twitter @ScoutRipley and subscribe to the Just Women’s Sports newsletter for more.

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The NWSL is continuing to roll out end-of-year awards this week, with the league's top performers taking home honors in the lead-up to the 2024 Championship.

Joining Rookie of the Year (ROTY) Croix Bethune and Golden Boot winner Temwa Chawinga in earning 2024 hardware is Gotham's Ann-Katrin Berger. The German international subsequently became the first European player to win Goalkeeper of the Year on Wednesday, snagging the award in her first NWSL season.

In her 22 matches, Berger logged eight clean sheets. She conceded a league-low 16 goals and posted a save percentage above 80%.

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Hines wins Coach of the Year

Also earning a trophy is Orlando Pride boss Seb Hines, who became the 2024 Coach of the Year​ this week.

A former assistant, Hines was​ elevated to interim coach in June 2022 after Orlando placed former head coach Amanda Cromwell​ on administrative leave. Now in his second full year as manager, Hines is already Orlando's winningest coach with a career record of 31-30-12.

After steering his team to a record 24-match unbeaten streak and first-ever NWSL Shield win, Hines ended the regular season with an overall record of 18-2-6 en route to the club's first playoff berth since 2017. Adding onto that 2024 campaign, Hines led the Pride to their first-ever postseason wins.

Orlando also set NWSL records with the most single-season points (60), victories (18), and the longest win streak (eight matches) under Hines.

The 36-year-old beat out Kansas City's Vlatko Andonovski and Gotham's 2023 winner Juan Carlos Amorós to take this year's honor.

Three more NWSL end-of-season awards await

Lastly, the final trio of 2024 NWSL awards will drop in the upcoming days, including Defender of the Year, Midfielder of the Year, and MVP. As fans await those announcements, more than a few finalists are gearing up to play in Saturday's Championship.

Pride defenders Emily Sams, Kylie Strom, and Spirit center back Tara McKeown are up for Defender of the Year. Meanwhile, Washington's Rookie of the Year Bethune could double-down as Midfielder of the Year.

On top of that, three of the NWSL's MVP candidates — Spirit winger Trinity Rodman and Orlando attackers Marta and Barbra Banda — will feature on the championship pitch.

All eyes are on Kansas City, as the Orlando Pride and the Washington Spirit take the pitch one last time in Saturday's 2024 NWSL Championship.

Both teams led the league in regular-season play after missing the 2023 NWSL Playoffs entirely. Now, the No. 1 Pride are staring down their first-ever title, while the No. 2 Spirit will look to add a second star to their crest to join their 2021 win.

As the only squad to defeat Washington twice this season, Orlando holds the pair's head-to-head advantage. The Pride's second win over the Spirit also served as​ their 2024 Shield coronation — a match that saw Washington captain Andi Sullivan's season end in an ACL tear. 

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MVP candidates lead championship charge

With three of the 2024 NWSL MVP candidates on Saturday's title-defining pitch, both Orlando and Washington will look to their superstars to lead them to glory.

The Pride's strength lies in Brazilian icon Marta and Zambian striker Barbra Banda, who've proven unstoppable in the attack throughout the postseason. Scoring five of Orlando's seven playoff goals between them, Banda has now netted 16 NWSL goals in 2024, with Marta notching 11.

Leading the Spirit's offensive charge is potential MVP Trinity Rodman. With eight league goals on the year, Rodman has yet to find the back of the net in the postseason, though she's been key to Washington's fight by creating scoring opportunities throughout the playoffs.

Alongside Rodman, NWSL newcomers have been stepping up for the Spirit all season. Most recently, Hal Hershfelt propelled Washington to the final with a rocket of a header in last weekend's semifinals. The Spirit's young core could be the difference-maker in Saturday's showdown.

Explosive offense to decide 2024 NWSL Champion

The old adage that defense wins championships is likely to be challenged on Saturday as offense takes centerstage.

Subsequently, fans can expect the NWSL Final to come down to whichever team manages to score at-will. With Washington's 51 regular-season goals good for second in the NWSL and Orlando sliding in third with 46, the pair's attacking prowess is set to determine who lifts the league's luxury hardware.

How to watch the 2024 NWSL Championship

Hosted at Kansas City's CPKC Stadium, the 2024 NWSL Championship kicks off at 8 PM ET on Saturday. Live coverage will air on CBS and Paramount+.

UConn head coach Geno Auriemma is on the brink of becoming the all-time winningest coach in NCAA basketball history, with the No. 2 Huskies hosting Fairleigh Dickinson on Wednesday night.

Should UConn win, Auriemma will surpass retired Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer after pulling even with her 1,216 career wins with last Friday's victory over No. 16 UNC. Unlike VanDerveer, who had stints leading Idaho and Ohio State prior to Stanford, Auriemma's entire head coaching career has been his 40 years at UConn.

Forty seasons of UConn excellence for Auriemma

Already a bonafide legend of the game, Auriemma has helmed UConn's women's basketball program since 1985, inheriting a team that had only seen one winning season prior to his arrival.

"We started at ground zero, at nothing — we didn’t have the advantage of location, the advantages of the reputation of the school, we didn’t have the luxury of a big-time league that could elevate us," Auriemma explained. "We started at the absolute ground level and it has evolved into this.”

Of course, Auriemma is referring to the program's stacked resume. That success stems from his high standards, recruiting prowess, and the work ethic and selflessness he demands from his players.

In total, the nine-time AP Coach of the Year boasts a record 11 national championships, including a stranglehold on the NCAA title from 2013 to 2016. His Huskies have completed six undefeated seasons and featured in 23 Final Fours — more than any other NCAA team, men's or women's.

Rightfully sharing in Auriemma's record is his veritable partner-in-crime, associate head coach Chris Dailey, who has served UConn alongside Auriemma all 40 seasons.

UConn's unmatched legacy of world-class athletes

Wednesday's sold-out game will include dozens of Auriemma's former players in attendance. At least 63 — from superstars Sue Bird to Diana Taurasi to Maya Moore — are expected to make the trip to Storrs to celebrate the milestone.

Subsequently, Athletes are Auriemma's true legacy. The 70-year-old is responsible for shaping the players who arguably put not just UConn, but women's basketball on the national map.

The Huskies' first-ever Final Four appearance in 1991 allowed Auriemma to take serious aim at the country's top high school recruits. And it was center Rebecca Lobo who first took a chance on the program.

Despite her parents' protests, Lobo chose the relative unknown over established dynasties specifically to learn from Auriemma.

"He was the selling point. The reason to go there was to play for him. That has stayed consistent, but especially in the early years," Lobo recently told reporters. "He could be the one to usher you into the best version of yourself."

Coach Auriemma's UConn-to-WNBA pipeline

That "best version" has turned many UConn players into stellar pros. Including Lobo, who became UConn's first WNBA player during the league's 1997 formation, a total of 47 Huskies have featured in the WNBA. Last season, 17 former UConn players were on the league's rosters, with at least one on all 12 teams.

Current star Paige Bueckers is expected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, putting Auriemma on the verge of sending a sixth top pick to the league. Previously, other No. 1 picks include Bird, Taurasi, Moore, Tina Charles, and Breanna Stewart.

The future pro is always quick to sing Auriemma's praises, summing up what so many players echo about the coach. "It means everything to play for UConn, and to play for him," Bueckers recently said.

As for Auriemma, who's currently contracted to continue his Huskies' dominance through 2029, Wednesday's likely milestone snuck up on him.

"I don’t think anybody goes into anything thinking that they're going to spend 40 years of their life at one place doing the exact same thing," Auriemma told reporters earlier this week. "The best way I can describe it, you know, it just caught up to me."

How to watch UConn vs. Fairleigh Dickinson women's college basketball

The star-studded sold-out game honoring UConn head coach Geno Auriemma will tip off in Storrs against Fairleigh Dickinson at 7 PM ET on Wednesday. Live regional coverage will air on SNY.