Brittney Griner understood the significance of the Connecticut Sun’s season when she signed a one-year deal with the team last week.
For one season — and one season only — the 10-time All-Star, two-time scoring champion, two-time Defensive Player of the Year, and 2014 WNBA champion will be the face of the franchise as it devotes the summer to saying its goodbyes to the region after 24 years.
Pending league approval, the Sun will relocate to Houston in 2027. With that in mind, Griner said Friday at her introductory press conference that she understood the weight of the season.
“It’s definitely going to be an emotional season,” Griner said. “Basketball is rich, and that’s how you know it is. If it was, ‘Oh, they’re leaving,’ and it was whatever, then you would know that you didn’t build something sustainable.
“Something was built here that was rich and done the right way, and fans — they don’t want to see it go. And I can respect that. And that’s why we’re going to do the best we can to give them an amazing performance this season and highlight them, highlight the fans, highlight the players who came before us and made it possible.”
Griner signed her deal knowing what was on the horizon. The Houston native created an early runway to play for a revived version of the Houston Comets. Still, Griner made it clear that her focus is on this season with the Sun.
“Right now, I’m here. We’re in Connecticut, so we’re going to celebrate being here in Connecticut. Celebrate what came before us and close that out as well,” Griner said. “I know there’s a move coming, but my main focus is right now and making this season the best for the fans. I plan on handling my business and doing what I need to do here — so looking ahead and being hopeful.”
Griner is the centerpiece of a training camp roster with eight rookies and 13 players with three years of experience or less. Among them is former Harvard star Harmoni Turner, who was taken by Las Vegas in the third round (No. 35) in last year’s draft.
The Sun also brought in six-year veteran and Dorchester native Shey Peddy, who was recently named to the Globe’s all-time All-Scholastic team.
Griner, whose on-court resume is Hall-of-Fame shoo-in worthy, said she wants to share as much of her experience as she can with the young group.
“I think the experience I can bring — from being on teams that have won and teams that have struggled a little — I feel like I’ve seen it,” she said. “I’ve been to the Finals, made deep playoff runs, won championships, and I think everything you can pour into the younger players is just going to make them better, make us better, make our organization better.”
Julian Benbow can be reached at julian.benbow@globe.com.
