WNBA

WNBA star Brittney Griner spent nearly 10 months detained in Russia following her arrest at Moscow airport on drug charges. Griner spoke publicly for the first time on Thursday in Phoenix, answering questions from reporters about her experience.

WNBA star Brittney Griner says she is returning to the Phoenix Mercury this season. Griner was freed in a prisoner exchange after serving nearly 10 months in a Russian prison. Griner wrote Friday in an Instagram post saying, "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 Mercury kick off the 2023 season at the Los Angeles Sparks.

Brittney Griner's former basketball coach speaks to LiveNOW from FOX's Rain Augustine about Griner's prisoner swap, pay equality in women's sports and any possibility of her returning to the court.

Russia frees WNBA star Brittney Griner in prisoner swap. LiveNOW from FOX talks with Esquire Digital Head of Strategy Aron Solomon about the exchange and what is to come for Griner.

Russia’s Federal Security Service released footage of the prisoner swap of WNBA basketball player Brittney Griner and arms dealer Viktor Bout between Russia and the United States on Thursday, Dec. 8. (Credit: FSB via Storyful)

President Biden said Thursday that WNBA star, Brittney Griner was headed home to the U.S. after a prisoner swap that exchanged her for Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer known as the "Merchant of Death." LiveNOW from FOX's Josh Breslow spoke with William Pomeranz, the director of the Kennan Institute about the prisoner swap.

MOSCOW - U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner was convicted Thursday in Russia of drug possession and sentenced to nine years in prison following a politically charged trial that came amid soaring tensions between Moscow and Washington over Ukraine and could lead to a high-stakes prisoner exchange between the two world powers. The 31-year-old Griner, a two-time U.S. Olympic champion and a eight-time all-star with the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury listened with a blank expression as an interpreter translated the verdict by Judge Anna Sotnikova. The judge also fined 1 million rubles (about $16,700) fine.

he Biden administration has offered a deal to Russia aimed at bringing home WNBA star Brittney Griner and another jailed American Paul Whelan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday. In a sharp reversal of previous policy, Blinken also said he expects to speak with his Kremlin counterpart for the first time since before Russia invaded Ukraine. The statement marked the first time the U.S. government has publicly revealed any concrete action it has taken to secure the release of Griner, who was arrested on drug-related charges at a Moscow airport in February and testified Wednesday at her trial.

MOSCOW (AP) - US basketball star Brittney Griner pleaded guilty to drug possession and smuggling charges in a Moscow court on Thursday, according to Russian media sources. The reports quoted Griner as pleading guilty to the charges at Thursday's court hearing. They said that speaking through an interpreter, Griner said she had acted unintentionally because she was packing in haste.

President Joe Biden spoke Wednesday with the wife of detained WNBA player Brittney Griner, who is on trial in Russia, and assured her that he is working to win Griner's freedom as soon as possible, the White House said. Biden's conversation with Griner's wife, Cherelle Griner, followed Brittney Griner's personal appeal to the president in a handwritten letter from the basketball player the White House received on Monday. In the letter, Griner acknowledged her fears that she would spend forever in detention in Russia and asked Biden not "forget about me and the other American Detainees."