The WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury caught a glimpse of pre-season Brittney Griner on Monday, as the 6-foot-9 center prepares to face the media for the first time since being released from a Russian penal colony on Dec. 8.
“It’s one thing to be back on the field, it’s another to be back home,” read the caption on Phoenix Mercury’s Twitter account, encouraging team fans to see her back in action during the first the team’s home game on 21 May. Prior to that, Griner and the Mercury will play on Opening Day, May 19, at the Sparks in Los Angeles.
Griner is seen doing one-on-one drills against a male coach in the social media clip. Griner plays without her dreadlocks, which she shaved when she was imprisoned in Russia for drug possession. Griner takes several shots as she shows off her dexterous ball control.
The eight-time WNBA All-Star will speak Thursday at Mercury’s media day. Griner has shunned reporters since he was released in a prisoner exchange that allowed arms dealer Viktor Bout to return to his native Russia.
However, she has made some notable public appearances ranging from a women’s empowerment luncheon held by Reverend Al Sharpton’s National Action Network to Super Bowl LVII in Arizona where she was seen with wife Cherelle.
ESPN chose the return of Brittney Griner as the opening coverage of the new WNBA season
Griner, a national champion with Baylor in 2012 and WNBA champion with the Mercury two years later, supplemented her income by playing in the Russian league since 2014. But when she returned to the country in February 2022, the Houston native was arrested at an airport outside Moscow with cartridges of hash oil, according to Russian security.
Against the backdrop of Russia’s ongoing war with Ukraine, Griner was found guilty and sentenced to nine out of a possible 10 years in a Russian penal colony, which she reported on in November. However, she was released a month later after the US State Department negotiated a prisoner exchange for Bout.
Griner re-signed with the team in February and is preparing to earn $165,000 for the upcoming season.
Griner is preparing to release a memoir next year about her 2022 Moscow arrest, her drug trial and subsequent 10-month detention, the last few weeks of which were spent in a Russian penal colony.
‘That day [in February] was the beginning of an unfathomable period in my life that I am only now willing to share,” Griner said in a statement released Tuesday by publisher Alfred A. Knopf.
Griner hopes her book will help other Americans held abroad, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was arrested in Russia last month and charged with espionage; and Paul Whelan, who is being held on espionage charges.
“By writing this book, I also hope to raise awareness of other Americans who are wrongly detained abroad, such as Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich, Emad Shargi, Airan Berry, Shahab Dalili, Luke Denman, Eyvin Hernandez, Majd Kamalmaz , Jerrel Kenemore, Kai Li, Siamak Namazi, Austin Tice, Mark Swidan and Morad Tahbaz.’
“The main reason I traveled back to Russia for work that day was because I wanted to make my wife, family and teammates proud,” Griner wrote. “After an incredibly challenging 10 months in detention, I am thankful to have been rescued and home. Readers will hear my story and understand why I am so grateful for the support of people around the world.”
The center, 32, will play for the Phoenix Mercury after serving 10 months in Russia
Russia has been a popular playing destination for top WNBA athletes in the off-season, with some earning salaries in excess of $1 million – nearly quadruple what they can earn as base WNBA salary. Despite pleading guilty to possession of cannabis oil canisters, a result of what she said was hasty packing, Griner still faced a trial under Russian law.
Griner’s memoir is currently untitled and will eventually be published in a young adult edition. Financial terms were not disclosed and Penguin Random House spokespersons did not respond to DailyMail.com’s request for more information.
Griner will make her official return to court on May 19, when she and the Mercury will take on the Los Angeles Sparks on ABC/ESPN. She hasn’t played for the Mercury since 2021, when she led Phoenix to the WNBA Finals before losing to the Chicago Sky.
Regardless, Griner was nearly unstoppable that season, averaging 20.5 points, 1.9 blocks, 2.7 assists and career-highs with 9.5 rebounds per game.
Griner hopes her book will help imprisoned Evan Gershkovich (left) and Paul Whelan (right)