When Brittney Griner recalled her declining to attend a makeup and dressing session at WNBA’s rookie orientation

When Brittney Griner joined the WNBA as one of the hottest prospects in the history of the league, there was tremendous attention on the young star. She set a record by dunking not once, but twice, in her first professional game with the Phoenix Mercury.

At 6-foot-8, it's no surprise that she drew plenty of attention from the time she was tearing it up in college at Baylor. Although some of that attention was unfair criticism of a player simply trying to be comfortable in her own skin, most of it was awe and admiration.

With hands larger than LeBron James', and a skillset that drew even the attention of Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, Griner was ready for the WNBA. When she was drafted first in 2013, however, she found a makeup and wardrobe session hosted by the league on her rookie agenda. Unsurprisingly, she wanted nothing to do with it.

As she pointedly explained in 2013 during an interview with Elle magazine, when it came to the WNBA's makeup and fashion seminar, she was more than content to sit out.

“I don’t need that s**t,” Griner said.

Brittney Griner wasn't turning her nose up at the league, because she appreciated and attended a seminar they hosted on 401k accounts. She was simply a player focused on the bigger picture rather than a superficial physical one.

Below you can view some of her highlights from college, where she scored 50 on Baylor's senior night. To make her performance even more impressive, she also dunked in the massive win against K-State.

Brittney Griner's highly anticipated return to the WNBA

With Brittney Griner back on U.S. soil, she's eager to put her recent stint in one of the worst Russian penal colonies behind her. After Griner spent nearly 10 months jailed abroad, many questioned whether she would jump at the opportunity to play for the Phoenix Mercury again.

WNBA Star Brittney Griner returns to U.S. after 10 Months in Russian detention

(Suggested Reading: When LeBron James fired back at Charles Barkley for calling him whiny)

Fortunately for basketball fans, as she said, when she safely returned to the U.S, that she has her sights set on playing in the upcoming season. Although there was initially some uncertainty as to whether she would play this season given all she had endured, she recently announced her intentions to compete.

“I also want to make one thing very clear: I intend to play basketball for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury this season, and in doing so, I look forward to being able to say ‘thank you’ to those of you who advocated, wrote and posted for me in person soon,” Griner said.

The news was a great sign for Brittney Griner's teammates and peers in the WNBA, signaling to them that she's in a good spot mentally. While she works on reintegrating back into society following her incarceration, the WNBA's May 19 tip-off date is fast approaching.

(Suggested Reading: The time Shaquille O'Neal nearly spent his entire first-year salary on accident)