Unrivaled Basketball continues to entertain with its fast-paced action and intriguing individual matchups. While several performances have earned applause, Season 2 of the 3×3 league is also seeing tempers flare. Marina Mabrey and Courtney Williams were hit with technical fouls after a heated rebounding exchange, but the bigger talking point came from a more polarizing moment in the Phantom BC vs. Vinyl BC game.
What started as a standard defensive effort soon sparked controversy. Brittney Griner attempted to stop a charging Aliyah Boston, but the play ended with Griner being called for a flagrant foul after her right arm made contact with Boston’s face away from the ball. The incident drew strong criticism from WNBA legend Lisa Leslie, who accused Griner of intentional foul play, while some fans even hinted at jealousy behind the act.
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Griner has now responded to those claims on the social media platform Threads. ” I’ve played against Legends and Goats, and it never got to this! So look closer at all the facts and everything else!” she replied to a post.
However, that wasn’t a one-off comment by the basketball star. Girner replied on other posts as well, highlighting how she had nothing to be jealous of Aliyah, while also labeling Lisa Leslie’s words as the worst advice on the incident. “Lisa plz! TF worst advice and definitely wouldn’t of happen!
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“Why would I be jealous of someone when Ive played against Legends and Goats! She ain’t got shit I want or ever want!”
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These reactive comments do suggest that the context goes beyond a single moment and ties into how the game unfolded overall.
Aliyah Boston, like Brittney Griner, is known for her physical style, so a tough battle was expected. Griner has maintained that such actions are not typical of her play, adding that if legends of the game have never raised such concerns before, there may be more to the situation than just that one incident.
However, the flagrant foul call was right according to the Unrivaled rules. And her right arm did move away from the ball onto Aliyah’s face. Aliyah’s reaction was commendable as well, as she did not escalate the situation.
The Brittney Griner Story braced for Sundance release
There might be polarizing opinions about the type of player Brittney Griner was, and the type of player she remains. However, everyone can agree on the impact Griner has had on the basketball world by sharing her life experiences.
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One such period is explored in the documentary ‘The Brittney Griner Story’, directed by Alexandria Stapleton, a filmmaker well known for her work in documentaries.
The documentary chronicles a turbulent chapter in Griner’s life, including her time playing overseas, her months-long detention in a Russian prison, and her eventual release through a high-profile prisoner swap.
Alexander Zemlianichenko/Shutterstock
It also highlights how Griner has continued to use her platform to advocate for other wrongful detainees, while offering a candid look at the emotional and mental toll the entire ordeal took on her.
The documentary is set for a January 27 release as part of the Premieres section at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival. ESPN Films is the Production house and has collaborated with Alexandria Stapleton, who is most recently known for her work with Netflix for Sean Combs: The Reckoning.
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With all the talk of Griner being a dirty player or being jealous of younger players like Aliyah Boston doing the rounds, the movie could provide an insight into the person that Griner is and why she plays the way she does.
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