Brittney Griner Signs Deal For WNBA Comeback After Russian Prison Release

Very few WNBA stars have had it as rough as Brittney Griner in the past year. In February 2022, the WNBA star was arrested in Russia after airport officials discovered cannabis oil in her luggage. What would follow was an agonizing six months during which Griner was subjected to harsh conditions in Russian detention. And then in August 2022, Griner received a guilty verdict, leaving her with a 9-year prison sentence. This expectedly sparked outrage among fans who urged President Joe Biden to bring her home. And bring her home, he did.

On December 8, 2022, Griner was released from Russian prison following a prisoner swap involving Viktor Bout — a Russian arms dealer who was sentenced to 25 years in prison back in 2012. In a press briefing at The White House, President Biden confirmed that the basketball star had left Russia and was on a plane back home. "After months of being unjustly detained in Russia, held under intolerable circumstances, Brittney will soon be back in the arms of her loved ones, and she should have been there all along," the president added, as reported by CNN.

Upon her return to the United States, Griner released a statement on Instagram thanking her loved ones and President Biden for securing her release. To clarify rumors, Griner also revealed that she would be making a comeback to the WNBA in due time. This highly anticipated return, it appears, will be happening earlier than we all expected.

After months off the court, Brittney Griner is making a return to basketball with the Phoenix Mercury. Griner, who was a free agent during her arrest, has reportedly signed a one-year deal with Phoenix, a source confirmed to CNN. Though neither party is yet to make an official announcement, Griner and the team are expected to confirm the deal in the coming days. 

Griner, a one-time WNBA champion previously, has played for the Phoenix Mercury since her pro career started in 2013. With the team, she won her first and only championship in 2014. In addition to this, Griner is also an eight-time WNBA All-Star, a two-time Peak Performer, and a two-time scoring champion, as listed on the WNBA website. In her last season, the 2021 season, the Mercury player made it to the WNBA finals, with Griner averaging an impressive 20.5 points and 9.5 rebounds across all games, according to AP.

Given her strong ties to the team, it is understandable that Griner would want to return to the Phoenix Mercury. While in detention, Griner received an outpour of love and support from many of her Mercury teammates. "We've just got to keep praying for her," Sophie Cunningham once said, per CBC. "We hope she's well. That's all we know; you guys know as much as we do. No one wants to be in her situation. We miss her like crazy."