While Team USA women’s basketball has won all its games at the Paris Olympics, it has not been without any sacrifices. One of the biggest omissions is that of the WNBA star Brittney Griner who has not found a place in the starting five. Taking cognizance of the same and the narratives surrounding it on social media, 5x Olympics gold medalist Sue Bird delivered her final take on Griner’s position in Team USA.

Bird was present on the 7 PM in Brooklyn podcast when she spoke her mind on Griner’s surprising omission from the starting five. The trio were discussing how it feels for an athlete to not be included in the top 5 when Bird gave her candid take on the same and how it could be an opportunity for Griner. “And if you like to embrace that. Like, I am seeing right now with the women’s team. Brittney Griner is coming off the bench first time in her Olympic experience and it’s like you know what’s not happening and the other teams shoot around, you’re not in the top 5… And you’re not forgotten,” Bird stated, via the 7 PM in Brooklyn podcast.

Bird stressed that despite Griner playing for fewer minutes, it doesn’t lessen her impact on the other team. “Especially for a player like BG…BG’s so different coz you have to double her. This is like you can’t let her play one on one. Yeah, you saw the Japan game, so might be a little different…When BG does come on I think she’s gonna be, I think we’re gonna handle most of the teams will be fine. But for that one moment where it might get weird, might get sticky, BG’s gonna come in and then if it’s like the other team ‘Oh shit’. We worked on trapping her. But I was in that position in shoot around. I wasn’t on this side of the court and this end… And she could end having a big game,” Bird added.

Griner who has played all three Olympic games for her team has not had the opportunity to start in any of them. During the game against Japan, she plied her trade for 16 minutes and scored 11 points while in the game against Belgium, she hit 7 points in 11 minutes. Meanwhile, during the clash against Germany, the 2x Olympics gold medal winner scored 6 points in 19 minutes. Therefore, despite facing limited time she has mostly come off as a threat to the opposition. But this is the first Olympics where Griner is not finding a place in the starting five.

The then 25-year-old athlete who had started as a mainstay for her team is now considered to be a veteran. And that might be the reason that Team USA coach Cheryl Reeve is looking to build a squad where the youngsters play a central role. During the 2016 Rio Women’s basketball game against Spain, Griner was the top rebounder for her team with 7 rebounds. She was also the highest scorer in a game against China when she hit 18 points with 13 rebounds.

Even in the quarter-finals against Japan, Griner scored 7 rebounds, and her equal number of rebounds in the Olympics Finale got her team the gold medal. Therefore, she has always played a mainstay role for the squad and might be having difficulty in accepting her new place. But not now, as her former teammate Bird has given her a new perspective.

Is Brittney Griner not getting enough time an issue for Team USA?

Griner has worked more on the defensive end this time. Reeve has limited her role to playing the key defensive player whenever things look like getting awry. Though A’ja Wilson has not turned any stone in rebounding, Griner has nonetheless been helpful with 9 rebounds against Japan, 3 against Belgium, and 4 against Germany.

Overall, she averages 8 points and 5.33 rebounds per game. And if online narratives are to be believed then this might be her last Olympics with Team USA.

Now that Bird has come forward to share her unique take, it might give Griner’s fans some closure. And as for now, they should look to extend support to their star and help her play along with the team strategies and lift the eighth consecutive gold for Team USA.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.