Brittney Griner went through 10 months of hell while in a Russian prison. Russia can be brutal with its prison system, and there were a lot of unknowns while Griner was detained. Eventually, she pled guilty to possession and trafficking charges, which subsequently led to a 9-year sentence.
Thankfully, Griner was released just last week in a prison swap. The news came as a shock, however, it was a good one for her family. Griner was able to make it home in one piece, and her wife Cherelle could not be happier. Additionally, the WNBA family is happy to have her back as well.
Brittney Griner Takes To IG
For the most part, Griner has been staying off of social media. Today, however, she decided to change that. Below, you can see that Griner took to Instagram where she thanked numerous people for her release. Moreover, she revealed that she will be returning to the WNBA next season.
"It feels so good to be home! 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," she wrote. [...] "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 also made mention of Paul Whelan, who is the marine that is still being held in Russia. Many were upset that Whelan was not released at the same time as Griner. However, Griner is well-aware of his situation, and she is dedicated to advocating for his release.
Overall, it is fantastic to see Griner in such great spirits. She has been through hell and back, but she is still ready for the next chapter of her career.
Stay tuned to HNHH for more news from around the basketball world.
[Via]