As new Atlanta Dream star Brittney Griner looks to make her debut Friday night against the Washington Mystics, there is another goal in her career besides putting up the best numbers with this new group. While the Dream made additions through the WNBA Draft and Griner, the former first overall pick is looking to make a splash in regards to the Olympics.

Griner is a three-time Olympian in her own right, where with the dominance of women's basketball at the event, she's won a gold medal every time, with one recent as in 2024 in France. With the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles this time around, Griner said in an interview with ESPN's Ramona Shelburne that she is “going to strive for it.”

“It's a goal of mine,” Griner said. “It hasn't been in the U.S. for a while now, so I think to be able to play at the Olympics in your home country would be amazing. My parents have never been to the Olympics. So I'm going to strive for it and try to do what I need to do so I can get that call-up or at least be at the camp and help out the ones that will go, whatever it's going to be.”

With Griner leaving the Phoenix Mercury for the Dream, some in the basketball world saw it as a shock since she'd been with her old team since 2013. However, she spoke about how Phoenix informed her of moving in a new direction, leading her to Atlanta, where the veteran is playing in a new five-out system under head coach Karl Smesko.

“It's definitely different,” Griner said. “I mean, we're playing five-out. I'm learning how to move better out on the perimeter, where my spots are on the perimeter, instead of just being down low. Me and Brionna [Jones] are complementing each other really well. I thoroughly enjoy playing with Bri. A lot of people thought two bigs are not going to work. But they're going to have to figure out how to guard us, and it is actually working really good.”

Still, Griner is producing solid numbers at 34 years old, but doesn't want to go too long if she sees a slip in her play.

“As long as I can put up numbers and I can help my team out,” Griner said, “I want to play. When I can't do that, or we have to hide me in the corner or put me on the easiest matchup, I will walk away. I don't want to be a liability on the court, and there's too many good players coming along too. I'm not going to sit there and just hold on to a spot because I just can't let go.”

At any rate, Griner looks to help Atlanta as they try to improve from a 15-25 record.