Brittney Griner, the American basketball star imprisoned in Russia for nearly 10 months last year, has signed a one-year Women’s NBA deal with the Phoenix Mercury, the team announced Tuesday.
Griner rejoined the team she helped lead to a 2014 WNBA crown and played for over nine seasons before missing last year’s campaign while in Russia.
After she was released in a prisoner exchange last December, Griner said she planned to return to her WNBA career and play again for Phoenix.
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“It’s a great day for all of us to announce that Brittney Griner has officially signed to play for the Mercury in 2023,” Mercury general manager Jim Pitman said.
“We missed BG every day that she was gone and, while basketball was not our primary concern, her presence on the floor, in our locker room, around our organisation, and within our community was greatly missed.”
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Griner, a 32-year-old centre who helped the US women capture Olympic gold at Tokyo and Rio, was arrested on drug smuggling charges last February after a small amount of cannabis oil was found in her luggage.
Her detention became a major global issue, deemed wrongful imprisonment by US officials.
“We will continue to use the resources of our organisation to support her, on and off the floor, and we are thrilled for her that she gets to return to basketball, which she loves so dearly,” Pitman said.
“This is a special signing and today is a special day for all of us.”
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Griner last played for the Mercury in 2021, when she helped Phoenix reach the WNBA Final, which was lost to Chicago.
Phoenix’s season opener is set for May 19 at Los Angeles with the home debut two nights later against Chicago.
“I know none of us will ever forget what it will feel like to welcome her back onto her home floor on May 21,” Mercury business operations president Vince Kozar said.
“To know BG is to love and appreciate BG and we can’t wait to show her that in person.”
