An American basketball star was held captive for ten months in Russia. Brittney Griner, whose basketball accomplishments include a pair of Olympic gold medals for the United States, was detained on Feb. 17, 2022, on charges she brought vape cartridges and was carrying a small amount of cannabis oil into the country.
Russia and Ukraine War
This was as she was trying to flee as Russia was launching its war with neighboring Ukraine. Griner pleaded guilty and was sentenced to nine years in prison, and her appeal was denied on Oct. 25, 2022.
However, she was exchanged for Russian prisoner Viktor Bout, known as the “Merchant of Death,” who was a convicted Russian arms dealer, on Dec. 8, 2022. At the time, American president Joe Biden tweeted, “I spoke to Brittney Griner. She is safe. She is on a plane. Is on her way home.”
Griner’s wife, Cherelle Griner, thanked those who helped secure her wife’s release and said: “Today my family is whole.”
Will she play again?
In an Instagram post following WNBA Brittney Griner Russia, the basketball star shared, in part;
“I intend to play basketball for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury this season, and in doing so. I look forward to being able to say ‘thank you’ to those of you who advocated, wrote, and posted for me in person soon.”
The WNBA schedule is out, and the first WNBA Brittney Griner Russia sighting could be May 19 when the Mercury visit the Los Angeles Sparks. Followed by a May 21 game in Phoenix against the Chicago Sky.
There are a number of things to consider, however. Griner missed an entire season and obviously isn’t playing internationally, either.
Not only has she been away from the game for an entire year, but she also hasn’t been maintaining peak physical shape. That is difficult to do when being held captive in prison. Some described as a brutal detention, and figuring that due to Griner’s high profile. She likely wasn’t granted the same rights as typical American prisoners with recess and the ability to work out.
There is no telling what kind of shape Griner is in, or how long it will take her to get in playing shape. Not that it is of the most importance. She will be welcomed back with open arms, but it will play a role in those writing the WNBA odds and those thinking about their WNBA picks.
Her play was missed
The Mercury narrowly made the WNBA playoffs a season ago, finishing 15-21, one game ahead of the Minnesota Lynx and Atlanta Dream. However, the Mercury were eliminated in a pair of blowouts at the Las Vegas Aces, the league’s top seed who went on to win the WNBA championship.
With the WNBA Brittney Griner Russia developments going on, it was an emotional season for the Mercury. Any time there was a development happening, the players and coaches were asked about it.
In August, it led to an emotional Skylar Diggins-Smith, who said;
“Y’all asking these questions don’t really take away from our trauma. It just adds to our trauma. So we can break down and cry in front of y’all and you can see how we feel. I don’t know what else to really say about it. It’s our sister. This is not some random Jane off the street. This is not anything we’re politicizing. This is a human being and this is our real life friend, a real life sister.”
It was an emotional season as she was in a confrontation with Diana Taurasi in May. Tina Charles left the team in June, and rookie coach Vanessa Nygaard was ridiculed by Diggins-Smith, who apparently used a clown emoji directed at Nygaard. None of that includes what Griner was going through.
Not only was it an emotional time with Griner tributes throughout the season and in visiting arenas that caused the players to constantly remember her. She was missed on the court.
The Mercury were missing her presence in the post, both as a defender and offensively as a screener, someone who can shoot 3-point shots but particularly is dominant in the post.
Incredible talent
Griner has been a great basketball player for many years. At 6 foot 9, she is a mismatch for everybody. She was a McDonald’s All-American and WBCA High School Player of the Year in 2009 before she went on to play at Baylor.
While playing for Kim Mulkey, Griner was four-time Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, three-time Big 12 Player of the Year, a two-time first-team All-American, won the NCAA championship in 2012, and was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four. Brittney also was AP Player of the Year in 2012 and a two-time Wade Trophy winner.
Griner has been an eight-time WNBA All-Star since joining the WNBA. She also helped the Mercury win the WNBA championship in 2014. She has led the league in scoring twice and in blocks eight times.
Brittney has been named to six all-WNBA teams (three times to the first team and three times to the second team). She is a two-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Award winner and was named to the WNBA All-Defensive teams seven times.
Why she was in Russia
Griner is one of the best players in the WNBA. However, her contract signed for three years ahead of the 2020-21 season totaled $664,544 in total salary. The equity in the WNBA is not quite the same as it is in other professional sports leagues.
So Griner and many other players will go and play overseas to supplement their income. Some of the less talented players will go overseas to get more playing time and work on their skills in general in hopes of developing a greater role when they get back to the WNBA.
Though at 32 years old, it didn’t seem like Griner needed to go play overseas, and she may not again. She won three Russian National League championships from 2015 to 2017, including the Russian Cup in 2017. She also won four EuroLeague championships in 2016, 2018, 2019, and 2021.
Other than winning and staying in shape, there is not a lot else for Griner to play for during the offseason. For her WNBA career, she is averaging 17.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks per game. In the 2021 season, she averaged 20.5 points, 9.5 rebounds (a career-high), 2.7 assists, and 1.9 blocks per game.
Even if she can play half as well in half as many minutes, it will be a great opportunity for the basketball world.
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