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One of the biggest questions entering the WNBA season was how Brittney Griner would fare in her return after missing all of last season while spending nearly 10 months in a Russian prison. Early in the second quarter against the Los Angeles Sparks Sunday evening, the Phoenix Mercury star delivered her most emphatic answer yet. 

After sealing Azura Stevens on the high side in the post, Griner took an entry pass from Sug Sutton, drop-stepped towards the basket and threw down her first dunk of the season. 

That was the best moment from one of the best performances Griner has produced this summer. She finished with 29 points and 11 rebounds on 12 of 18 from the field to help the Mercury snap a three-game losing streak with a 78-72 victory over the visiting Sparks. 

The shorthanded Sparks had no answer for Griner around the basket. She converted on all seven shots at the rim and was 10 of 13 in the paint overall. Whether she was posting up, rolling to the basket or grabbing offensive rebounds for putbacks, it was all too easy for Griner. 

Griner's summer has not been perfect. She missed three games in June due to a hip injury and during a road trip out of Dallas on June 10, she was accosted at the airport by a social media provocateur -- an incident which reignited the call for league-wide charter flights.

When she's been on the floor, though, Griner has largely been her usual self. Which is to say, one of the best bigs in the league. Through 15 games she's averaging 19.9 points, 6.6 rebounds and two blocks, while shooting 60.3% from the field. She's fifth in the league in scoring, second in blocks and second in field goal percentage. For her efforts she was named an All-Star starter, and will be making her ninth appearance in the annual event, which is tied for the fourth-most all-time. 

The Mercury haven't been winning games as often as they may have expected. Even after Sunday's victory they sit in last place at 4-14. They've had injuries, key absences (Skylar-Diggins Smith has missed the entire season so far on maternity leave) and off-court drama (head coach Vanessa Nygaard was fired on June 25). One of the few constants through it all has been Griner. When she's on the floor this season they have a minus-2.9 net rating, and when she sits that plummets to minus-18.7. That's the difference between not great and a total disaster. 

While it's looking like the Mercury are heading towards a lottery appearance -- which may be for the best considering that draft class's talent -- this has been a remarkable return to action on an individual level for Griner. Despite all of the mental and physical challenges she's gone through in the last 18 months, she essentially picked up right where she left off. That's a testament to not only her skill, but her toughness and perseverence, and is why she's one of the greatest players the league has ever seen.