Posted by Brittney Griner has announced in her first press conference since her 10-month detention in Russia that she will only consider playing abroad if she is representing the U.S. national team. The conference held at her home arena saw the basketball player express a variety of emotions, including her worries about other Americans who are being detained in foreign countries.
Throughout, Griner’s emotions were evident, as she smiled and laughed often, shed tears, and spoke with intense passion about her detention, including her comeback to the WNBA.
“I’m no stranger to hard times,” Griner said about the resilience she needed amid her detention, adding, “You’re going to be faced with adversities throughout your life, and this was a pretty big one. But I just kind of relied on my hard work. Getting through it: “You find a way to just grind it out.”
Griner was joined by her wife Cherelle, Mercury coach Vanessa Nygaard, and Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs during the conference. She gave a shoutout to her wife and urged the audience to applaud her. Also, she expressed her gratitude towards her family, the Mercury organization, the WNBA, and her supporters, who tirelessly advocated for her freedom.
Griner also conveyed her appreciation to President Joe Biden and his administration for their support.
The player avoided disclosing the specifics of her detention in Russia between February and December 2022 but shared her thoughts on rejoining the Mercury team and her aspirations for the upcoming WNBA season, despite the physical challenges she must confront following an extended absence from the sport.” I always believe in my ability,” she said. “Being realistic, am I exactly where I want to be?” No. But I’m on the right track.”
“The first two weeks, the first month [of basketball training]… it was hard. “At first, there was a point where it was like, “Wow, do I want to do this this fast right now?” But it was so worth it.” Asked whether she would compete internationally again at any point, Griner was definitive. “I’m never going overseas to play again unless it’s to represent my country,” she added.
Griner continued, “The whole reason a lot of us go over is the pay gap… to support our families, to support ourselves. So, I don’t knock any player who wants to go overseas. I’m hoping that our league continues to grow. I hope a lot more companies start to invest in our craft.”
Currently, the Texas native, 32, is gearing up for her 10th season in the WNBA, all of which have been with the Phoenix Mercury. In 2014, Griner helped lead the Mercury to a WNBA championship, and in 2021, she played in the WNBA Finals, where her team, unfortunately, fell to the Chicago Sky. Her most recent game in the WNBA was Game 4 of the decisive series on October 17, 2021.
While she missed the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup last year, she has been a vital member of the U.S. national team, earning gold medals in two Olympic and two World Cup tournaments. Griner’s WNBA career averages include 17.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks. She has been awarded the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year twice and has been selected to the All-WNBA First Team three times.
Interestingly, Griner and the Phoenix Mercury have also announced their partnership with the Bring Our Families Home (BOFH) organization, which works to advocate for the safe return of Americans who are either held hostage or wrongfully detained in foreign countries. According to BOFH, there are presently 54 Americans in this situation across seven different countries, with some individuals having been held captive for over a decade.
The Phoenix Mercury have replaced the BG42 logo with a BOFH logo on their court for home games. The BG42 logo was previously displayed during Griner’s detention in the previous season. A mural portraying Griner and other detainees has been installed outside of the Footprint Center. The team plans to host families and friends of the detainees during games and provide letter-writing stations for fans to advocate for the safe return of the detained individuals.
According to Griner, receiving letters during her detention was a source of comfort, claiming, “It’s hard. “You know I come from a military family,” said Griner, whose father was in the Marines. “—I have that mindset … no one left behind. It hurts, because no one should be in those conditions that I went through and that they’re going through. I hope everyone continues to bring awareness and fight to bring everyone home.”
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