Photography by Danielle Levitt
It's been a banner year for Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner. She completed her senior year at Baylor by setting a NCAA record -- for both men and women -- by blocking 748 shots; she was the WNBA's No. 1 draft pick; and she announced to the world that she's a lesbian. "I knew once I went pro that I wanted to come out because I wanted to work with LGBT youth -- to let them know it's OK," she says. "To younger girls and boys I would say, 'It's never too late -- you can come out at your own time, but it's definitely rewarding knowing you can be who you are and have a good support group around you. It makes your life 100 times better."
Photographed at Milk Studios in Los Angeles on October 7, 2013
