Phoenix Mercury star Brittney Griner spoke up for the first time after undergoing a leave of absence to focus on her mental health.
The nine-time WNBA All-Star hopes that more athletes can take time off and be open about their mental well-being.
"The more people do that and make it normal; it's OK. Before, no one dared even say it. You were looked upon as weak or not wanting to play or compete, which is completely the opposite mindset," Griner told reporters.
The 32-year-old added that taking some time off for mental health reasons and speaking out about the topic is okay.
Griner was also grateful to the Phoenix Mercury organization for looking after her well-being and assuring her that it would be okay for her to take a break if she needed it.
When asked if she planned on taking a mental health break coming into the WNBA season, Griner said, "You can't plan for when you might need some time."
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Brittney Griner returns to action
Griner returned to action on Sunday against the Seattle Storm, putting up 22 points, six rebounds, and four assists. Unfortunately, her return was not enough, as they took a 97-91 loss at the Footprint Center in Phoenix.
The WNBA 25th Anniversary Team member missed the previous three games of the Mercury, where the team went 2-1, a win against the Chicago Sky last week, a narrow loss to the Indiana Fever on Tuesday, and a bounce-back blowout victory over the Atlanta Dream on Thursday.
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