USA Basketball suspends Griner for start of training camp

Sep 30, 2015 - 3:18 AM Brittney Griner will be missing some of USA Basketball's European training camp this week after she was suspended by the organization.

The penalty stems from Griner's domestic violence arrest in April. The 6-foot-8 Phoenix Mercury star was banned by the WNBA for the first seven games of the season, which amounts to the same percentage that she'll miss of the USA training camp.

''USA Basketball does not condone violence of any sort,'' USA Basketball CEO Jim Tooley said. ''Brittney accepted responsibility for her actions and has been complying with the court order to attend domestic violence counseling and has served a seven-game suspension in the WNBA.

''USA Basketball has conducted extensive interviews with everyone involved, and because Brittney has continued to show remorse and has dealt with this issue head-on, USA Basketball believes that the discipline it is imposing on Brittney is appropriate and fair.''

Griner is just about finished with her 26 weeks of court-ordered counseling. Once completed, all charges will be dismissed.

''I accept USA Basketball's decision and will honor the suspension,'' Griner told The Associated Press.

The suspension will start once Griner is in camp.

The Americans, who have already qualified for next year's Olympics in Rio, will be playing games in Spain, Italy and the Czech Republic.

Griner was a big part of the U.S. winning the world championship last fall. The WNBA's defensive player of the year averaged 12.3 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2 blocks in only 19 minutes a game in that tournament.

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