Brittney Griner says she’ll play in the WNBA in 2023, work toward Paul Whelan’s release
Griner took to Instagram to thank those who supported her, and said she will use her platform as a pro athlete to help free other prisoners.
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Brittney Griner has made her first public statement via Instagram since being released from Russian detention on Dec. 8.
A WNBA star who also played professional basketball in Russia, Griner was arrested at an airport after authorities claimed she was carrying vape canisters with cannabis oil. Griner, who returned to the U.S. after being imprisoned for 10 months, stated that she was grateful to be on American soil and thanked those who advocated for her safety.
“It feels so good to be home!” Griner said in an Instagram post. “The last 10 months have been a battle at every turn. I dug deep to keep my faith and it was the love from so many of you that helped keep me going. From the bottom of my heart, thank you to everyone for your help.”
The statement placed a button on a whirlwind experience for Griner, who faced trial, sentencing and a short period during which her whereabouts were unknown. The cycle ended as Griner boarded a plane for Abu Dhabi, where she was greeted by American officials and swapped for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.
“I am grateful to each person who advocated for me,” Griner said, “especially my wife, Cherelle Griner, my family, Lindsay Kagawa Colas and Casey Wasserman and my whole team at Wasserman, Vince Kozar and the Phoenix Mercury, the players of the WNBA, and my entire WNBA family.”