It's been quite a week for Brittney Griner.
On Monday, the former Baylor star was selected by the Phoenix Mercury with the top overall pick in this week's WNBA Draft. Within no time, she had a street named after her in Phoenix.
And on top of all of that, Griner also acknowledged this week that she is a lesbian.
It's been quite the whirlwind few days for the 22-year-old, but she has handled herself with the aplomb of a true professional.
"It really wasn’t too difficult, I wouldn’t say I was hiding or anything like that,” Griner told SI of coming out. "I’ve always been open about who I am and my sexuality. So, it wasn’t hard at all. If I can show that I’m out and I’m fine and everything’s OK, then hopefully the younger generation will definitely feel the same way."
Griner also opened up about her childhood, when she says she was bullied because of her size and sexual orientation.
"It was hard, just being picked on for being different, hust being bigger, my sexuality, everything," Griner told the AP. "I overcame it and got over it. Definitely something that I am very passionate about. I want to work with kids and bring recognition to the problem, especially with the LGBT community."
Despite some recent setbacks, the topic of homosexuality in sports seems to have taken an important step forward over the past few months. Players and owners have shown they are open to the idea, and the visibility of stars like Griner should help teammates and young athletes feel comfortable in their own skin.
"Just be who you are," Griner said. "Don't worry about what other people are going to say, because they're always going to say something, but, if you're just true to yourself, let that shine through. Don't hide who you really are."
