Two-time Olympic gold medalist and WNBA star Brittney Griner is speaking about her Russian imprisonment for the first time. Griner has a sit-down interview with ABC’s Robin Roberts for a 20/20 special Prisoner in Russia: The Brittney Griner Interview. It premieres on the network on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, at 10 p.m. ET.
Griner, who played for Russia’s UMMC Ekaterinburg basketball team, spent months in a Russian penal colony. This happened after authorities detained her at the Sheremetyevo International Airport in Khimki, Moscow, on drug smuggling charges on February 17, 2022. The athlete was returning to the country to rejoin the team when they found cannabis oil in her luggage. She later pleaded guilty to the charges and received a nine-year sentence.
According to ABC News, Brittney Griner’s release came as part of a prisoner swap deal. Russia demanded the return of convicted arms dealer Viktor Bout and, in exchange, released Griner on December 8, 2022. That same month, on December 16, she announced her return home via an Instagram post and claimed she would return to play for Phoenix Mercury.
Is Brittney Griner still playing basketball?
Brittney Griner continues to play for WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury. She has been a part of the team for ten seasons since 2013, following her selection as No. 1 in the WNBA draft that year, per ESPN. The two-time Olympic gold medalist has also expressed the desire to participate in the Paris Olympic Games this year as part of Team USA, per CNN. Women’s Health stated that she previously led the women’s national basketball team at the 2016 Rio Olympics and 2020 Tokyo Games. Both times, the team secured gold.
According to her Instagram post, Griner confirmed her return to the WNBA and Phoenix Mercury days after her release from Russian imprisonment. On December 16, eight days after her release, she confirmed her homecoming via the post. The athlete also claimed, “I intend to play basketball for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury this season.” The post was a touching message to those who advocated for her freedom and helped her return home.
Women’s Health reported that in April 2023, Brittney Griner confirmed she had re-signed with Phoenix Mercury. CNN and USA Today further stated that the 33-year-old is now entering her 11th WNBA season. She re-signed with the team earlier this year. The star also announced that she and her wife, Cherelle Griner, are pregnant with their first child.
Earlier this year, on February 6, Griner announced the release of her memoir “Coming Home” about her imprisonment in Russia. The book will be out on May 7, per ABC News. In a statement, she said, “Coming Home begins in a land where my roots developed.” She called the book a “diary of my heartaches and regrets. But, ultimately, the book is also a story of how my family, my faith, and the support of millions who rallied for my rescue helped me endure a nightmare.”
The outlet also stated that ABC 20/20’s special Prisoner in Russia: The Brittney Griner Interview premiere shortly before the book release. This is Griner’s first time speaking about her experience in the Russian penal colony where she spent 10 months. In the a preview, the star is seen tearing up while explaining the emotional distress she faced over the months. She even said she was suicidal, claiming she felt “less than a human.”
ABC 20/20’s one-hour special Prisoner in Russia: The Brittney Griner Interview airs on May 1, 2024, at 10 p.m. ET.
