Brittney Griner injured in knife attack in China
WNBA star Brittney Griner was attacked by a man wielding a knife as she was leaving practice with her China league teammates on Monday. The man was yelling and swinging the knife around as he chased Griner and two teammates onto the bus, according to espnW columnist Kate Fagan.
He followed them onto the bus, she reported, and kept them trapped for about five minutes before leaving on his own.
The man managed to clip Griner, breaking through her winter coat and grazing her elbow. She's OK, her agent told the Associated Press, but has a small cut. She didn't need stiches and didn't go to the hospital.
One of her teammates was also hit, but she was not injured because she was wearing two jackets and the knife did not break through to her skin. Agent Lindsay Kagawa Colas did not give the name of the teammate.
This is Griner's second season in China, and her first with the Beijing Great Wall.
A standout at Baylor University, Griner led the squad to the 2012 NCAA title. The Phoenix Mercury selected her with the No. 1 pick in the 2013 WNBA Draft. It was a wise choice, as Griner led the team to the 2014 WNBA title in September. She was also an important part of Team USA's 2014 World Championship last month.
It does not appear that Griner and her teammates were targeted. The man left the scene and police were called. He later returned, according to Colas. He was covered in blood, and was arrested. There is no word yet on whether the team plans to increase security.
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Danielle Elliot is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at delliot@yahoo-inc.com or follow her on Twitter!