After almost a year imprisoned in Russia, Brittney Griner will return to play in the WNBA and will do so with her team, the Phoenix Mercury, with whom she has reached an agreement for one season.
The news of Griner's return to basketball was announced this Saturday by the specialized portal Her Hoop Stats and later also confirmed by ESPN.
Griner, 32, will earn $165,100 this season to compete again with the franchise she played for from 2013 to 2021 and with which she won the WNBA title in 2014 as well as being an eight-time All-Star. .
Arrested in February 2022 at a Russian airport, Griner was sentenced in August to nine years in prison for possession and drug smuggling after being arrested for carrying hashish oil cartridges to vape when she was going to take a plane.
US authorities announced in December an agreement with Russian authorities to release her in exchange for arms dealer Viktor But.
"It feels so good to be home! The last ten months have been a constant battle," he said in a statement released upon his return to the US.
Griner then assured that his idea was to return to the courts with the Phoenix Mercury. "I also want to make one thing very clear: I intend to play basketball for the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA this season and, in doing so, I am looking forward to saying 'thank you' in person and soon to those of you who stood up for me. , wrote or published for me," he said.
In 2021, the last season Griner played in the WNBA, the Phoenix Mercury reached the final but lost in the title fight to the Chicago Sky.
