PHOENIX. After spending days interacting with A-list celebrities, Mercury star Brittney Greener said on Wednesday that the result of her newfound fame can be “a little overwhelming” at times, but it’s also what she accepts as a “big” platform for helping others. .

Griner shared her feelings during Wednesday’s Mercury Media Day in Phoenix, which came a couple of days after attending the White House Correspondents Dinner in Washington on Saturday night and the Met Gala in New York on Monday night. In both places, Greener was a celebrity in her own right, dating everyone from President Joe Biden to First Lady Dr. George. Jill Biden to Usher, Kansas City Chiefs defenseman Patrick Mahomes.

Because Griner’s name was widely shared on social media, news and word of mouth while she was in Russian custody for 10 months, she is just as famous as some of the celebrities she met over the weekend.

“I didn’t think it could get that big, but I mean it’s cool because now I can reach even more people and get them into the WNBA and then also keep them up to date with other inmates who are still left behind right now. and that we are trying to get home,” Griner said. “So, just use this larger outlet to continue to support others who need it or don’t have the attention or media coverage they should have.”

At the Met Gala, Mahomes approached Griner, she was able to meet Usher, who she said was “pretty cool”, and spent time talking to Dwyane Wade.

“It was an honor to be there,” Griner said. “It was magical, just meeting everyone, seeing all the stars that were there, I mean, it was pretty cool.”

It was also tiring to be a Griner for a few “crazy” days.

She flew home from Washington late Saturday night and did not land in Arizona until 4 am. She went home and slept until 9 a.m., and two hours later Mercury had her first training session at training camp. After training on Sunday, she flew to New York for the Met Gala and flew back the Monday night after the event, landing in Arizona around 1 a.m. to be in training on Tuesday.

“It was a whirlwind,” Griner said. “I have a lot of respect for the stars who do this. It’s not me. I don’t understand how they do it, but it was amazing. there, but it was a long couple of days. I’ll take a nap tonight or tonight.”

Greener flew to both events privately and hopes such amenities can eventually be extended to the entire WNBA during the season.

There is speculation that Griner will have to fly charter this season due to safety concerns. On Wednesday, Griner said she couldn’t talk much about these security issues, but added that “it’s definitely going to be different this year.”

She was asked if she was comfortable flying commercially and if she would be available this season.

“In terms of comfort, it’s just weird,” Griner said. “It’s just always a different experience that makes you feel different, but the league does a good job. and all will be well.

“But we would definitely like to make all these flights private. It would be good not only for me and my team, but for the entire league. We all deserve it. when we finally get to the point where we will be rewarded on this side as well.”

The Celtics walked off the court angry and disappointed after losing home court advantage in their first loss to the 76ers.

Boston called on those emotions—and their defense—to dominate Game 2.

Jaylen Brown scored 25 points as the Celtics beat Philadelphia 121–87 on Wednesday night, spoiling the return of new league MVP Joel Embiid.

The Celtics tie the series at one game as the Eastern Conference Semifinal Series moves to Philadelphia for Game 3 on Friday.

“I think we should just be more proud of ourselves. That’s it,” Brown said. “I just feel like we didn’t do well last game. We wanted to go out and play to the best of our ability. And that’s what we did.”

Malcolm Brogdon added 23 points, hitting six of Boston’s 20 three-pointers. Derrick White and Marcus Smart added 15 points each. Jason Tatum played most of the game in violation of the rules and scored seven points.

Boston stepped up their defense and limited the 76ers, who made 17 3-pointers in their Game 1 win, to just 6-for-30 from three-pointers on Wednesday. The Celtics led by 36 points in the fourth quarter.

Brogdon said that now their task is to maintain the same way of thinking in the future.

“It doesn’t mean anything if there is no transfer,” he said.

Tobias Harris led the 76ers with 16 points. Embiid finished with 15 points, three rebounds and five blocks in his first game after dislocating his right knee, which caused him to miss the 76ers’ first-round final game in Brooklyn. He also missed Philadelphia’s Game 1 victory on Monday.

James Harden, who set his postseason career high with 45 points in Game 1, missed all six 3-pointers and hit 2 of 14 overall for 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Embiid’s comeback comes a day after he was first named MVP.

Doctors and instructors allowed him to play after practice before playing on the court. This was after he did some work during the 76ers’ morning shootout.

Embiid said he was told it could take four to six weeks for the injury to heal, and the possibility of a 2-0 lead eventually made him want to play even if there was rust.

“I felt pretty good playing and I felt like I could help the team,” he said. “I feel like I just got rid of it. Disappointed with loss. But this is a step towards returning to yourself.

Tatum scored three fouls in the first half. He was called up for a fourth fight at 7:34 in the third quarter when he knocked Harden to the floor while trying to get through the screen.

This caused him to play slightly less aggressively and helped Philadelphia cut Boston’s 18-point lead to 73–60 with just over four minutes left in the third quarter.

But Tatum’s teammates picked up the slack, leading as the Celtics closed the quarter 19-5 to go back to 92-65 in fourth place.

Embiid began to slowly attack, but as the 76ers struggled to hit from the outside, he made an impact on defense almost immediately.

First, hey blocked Smart’s early shot and then forced White to correct another move. Embiid had five blocks in the first 13 minutes of the game.

But his condition was clearly lagging behind, as he occasionally crammed into sets. He played just seven minutes in the first quarter before getting his first rest. He returned to the last 1:05 of the period.

Embiid scored his first field goal of the night. jumping over Grant Williams, 21.4 seconds before he tripped as he stepped back onto the court. He quickly got to his feet. He finished the first half with 13 points, shooting 7 of 8 from the free throw line.

Brown said they expect to come to Philadelphia and face the 76ers motivated after their first loss this postseason.

“Hostile environment. But it should be fun,” he said. “We should all be happy to take on this challenge.”

2023 NFL Draft in the books. A project that started on Thursday evening when Carolina Panthers selected Alabama quarterback Bryce Young, who placed first overall, came close to the end of Saturday night when Los Angeles Rams added Toledo defender Desjouan Johnson, who made him Mr. Olympia this season. Unrelated.”

However, as much as you’d like to turn the page of the 2024 NFL Draft and start screaming about USC quarterback Caleb Williams, UNC quarterback Drake May, Ohio wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., Penn State forward Olumuyeva Fashanu and the rest of the potential future classes, we have one last thing to do.

Undrafted free agents.

As the final round draws to a close, many players begin to hope that they will not be drafted, allowing them to sign with a team of their choice. There are more talented players out there and we will track all signings for you here at Sat nation.

We promise we’ll start screaming about Williams and company on Monday.

• Louisville QB Malik Cunningham signs with New England Patriots, Tom Pelissero. According to Pelissero, it was “competitionfor Cunningham, whose contract includes a $30,000 signing bonus and a $170,000 base salary.
• Kansas State QB Adrian Martinez signs with Detroit LionsTo Pelissero.
• ND State TE Noah Gindorf signs contract with Seattle SeahawksTo Pelissero.
• Hunter Lupke, ND FB signs with Dallas CowboysTo Pelissero.
• Clemson wide receiver Joseph Ngata signs with Philly EaglesTo Pelissero.
• Malik Hall, South East Oklahoma LB, signs a contract with New York JetsTo Pelissero.
• Georgia Technologies RB Hassan Hall signs with Cleveland BrownsTo Pelisserofor a deal that includes $125,000 guaranteed.
• Mississippi LB Tyrus Wheat signs a $185,000 guaranteed contract with the Cowboys, plus a $20,000 signing bonus each. Pelissero.
• Virginia RB Darius Hagans signs with Indianapolis ColtsTo Pelissero.
• Arkansas State QB James Blackman signs with Miami DolphinsTo Pelissero.
• Kansas State WR Cade Warner — son of Kurt Warner — signs with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, according to Pelissero.
• Baylor CBA Mark Milton signs with the Carolina Panthers. Pelissero.
• RB Hazavian Walladay of Arizona signs $175,000 Guarantee Agreement with Houston Texans. Mike Garafolo.
• Minnesota running back Mohamed Ibrahim signed with the Detroit Lions. Pelissero. The deal includes $100,000 guaranteed.
• Washington Capitals forward Jackson Kirkland signed with the Cincinnati Bengals. Pelissero.
• Holy Cross linebacker Liam Anderson has signed with the Colts. Pelissero.
• Central Michigan tight end Joel Wilson signs with the New Orleans Saints. Pelissero.
• Georgia kicker Jack Podlesny signed with the Minnesota Vikings. Pelissero.
• Samuel Jackson, a Central Florida offensive lineman, not an actor, signs with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Pelissero.
• Oklahoma WR Baptist Kaylan Harris signs with the Atlanta Falcons. Pelissero.
• Notre Dame defenseman Jason Ademilola has signed with the Jaguars. Pelissero.
• Rutgers defenseman Avery Young has signed with the San Francisco 49ers. Pelissero.
• Western Kentucky cornerback Kahlef Heilassi signed with the Jets. Pelissero.
• Jacob Slade, Michigan State Linebacker, signed with the Arizona Cardinals. Pelissero. The deal includes $200,000 guaranteed.
• East Carolina running back Keaton Mitchell posted on his Instagram that he signed with the Baltimore Ravens.
• Utah Jazz forward Mohamud Diabate has signed with the Browns. Pelissero. The contract includes a guaranteed $250,000.
• Tulane Safety Larry Brooks III signs with the Bengals, for Pelissero.
• USC DL Brandon Pealy signs with Miami Pelissero. The deal includes $100,000 guaranteed.
• Arkansas-Pine Bluff OL Mark Evans II, who excelled at the Shrine Bowl, signs with the Saints, according to Pelissero.
• Southern Miss WR Jason Brownlee signs with the Jets Pelissero.
• Shepherd quarterback Tyson Bagent has signed with the Chicago Bears. Pelissero.
• Houston LB Donavan Mutin signs with the Colts Pelissero. The deal includes $100,000 guaranteed.
• Kent State Kent State Nico Bolden signed with the Panthers. Pelissero.
• Rice pass rusher Ikenna Enechukwu signs with Atlanta Pelissero.
• Delta State offensive lineman Nick Melsop signs with the Chargers, according to Pelissero. The deal includes a $10,000 signing bonus.
• UTSA CB Corey Mayfield Jr signs with Ravens, according to Pelissero.
• Kansas forward Earl Bostick Jr. signs with the Cowboys. Pelissero. The deal includes a guaranteed $220,000.
• Florida A&M EDGE Isaiah Land signs with the Dallas Cowboys. Michael Gelken.
• West Florida wide receiver David Durden signed with the Cowboys. gelken.
• Tennessee tight end Princeton Fant signs with the Cowboys. gelken.
• Arkansas WR Matt Landers signs with the Seattle Seahawks Pelissero.
• Syracuse kicker Andre Schmit signs with the Bears. Pelissero.
• QB Nolan Henderson of Delaware signs with the Baltimore Ravens through his agent. Brett Tessler.
• BYU running back Chris Brooks signs with the Dolphins. Barry Jackson.
• Toledo midfielder Dionte Johnson has signed with the New York Giants. Pelissero.
• Texas Tech RB Sarodoric Thompson signs with Saints, according to Pelissero.
• Cincinnati linebacker Ivan Pace has signed with the Vikings. Greg Auman.
• Oregon WR Chase Cota signs with Lions, according to Pelissero.
• Pokey Wilson, Florida, signs with the Chargers. Pelissero.
• UCLA guard Aziz Hearn has signed with the Raiders. Pelissero.
• Gardner-Webb WR TJ Luther signs with the Jets. Aaron Wilson.
• Alabama CBA Eli Ricks signed with the Eagles. Matt Zenith.
• CB LSU Colby Richardson signs with Panthers, according to Pelissero.
• Oklahoma DT Jalen Redmond also signs with Carolina. Pelissero.
• Pittsburgh OG Gabe Howey signs with Bears, according to Pelissero.
• SMU OG Jaylon Thomas signs with Ravens, according to Pelissero.
• Minnesota OLB Thomas Rush signs with the Tennessee Titans, according to Pelissero, for $175,000. guaranteed.
• Kansas DT Caleb Simpson signs with Colts, according to Pelissero.
• UCF CB Divaad Wilson signs with Jacksonville Jaguars. Pelissero.
• Mitchell Tinsley, WR Penn State signs with Washington Commanders, according to Pelissero.
• Purdue defenseman Reese Taylor has signed with the Chiefs. Pelissero.
• Army pass rusher Andre Carter II, who made headlines in the first round this season, has signed with the Minnesota. Garafolo.
• Eastern Kentucky linebacker T.K. McClendon Jr. signs with the Titans. Pelissero.
• We have signed a defender! Iowa FB Monte Pottebaum signs with Steelers, according to Pelissero.
• App State running back Cameroon Peoples signing Carolina for Pelissero.
• South Alabama WR Jalen Wayne signs with Bills, according to Pelissero.
• Indiana midfielder Cam Jones has signed with the Chiefs. Pelissero. The deal includes a $15,000 signing bonus and a $135,000 guaranteed base salary.
• Coastal Carolina DT Jerrod Clark signs with the Chargers. Pelissero.
• Kentucky OL Tashon Manning signs with Ravens for Pelissero.
• Illinois quarterback Tommy DeVito signs with the Giants. Pelissero.
• East Carolina quarterback Holton Ahlers signed with the Seahawks. Pelissero.
• Pittsburgh DE Habakkuk Baldonado signs with Giants for Art Stapleton.
• Liberty OLB Darrell Johnson signs with the Cowboys. Pelissero.