This is the story of how Brittney Griner went from pro athlete to political pawn.
achievements have been overshadowed over the last few months by an ugly judgment in the Russian courts, as she faced a nine-and-a-half year jail sentence for smuggling cannabis.
There were fears that the WNBA player has been caught in the crossfire in America and Russia’s worsening relations following, with the basketball player’s freedom collateral damage as tensions continue to mount. However, it was in high school that Brittney got her big break basketball-wise, with the sport giving her ‘a purpose and a passion’. Towering over her teammates at 6 ft tall when she was just 14 , she was a star in the making, able to block, shoot and score with ease.
When she reached her senior year, and was well on her way to becoming one of Baylor’s most decorated athletes ever, Brittney had a ‘screw it’ moment, choosing to come out on live TV after she was selected as a top draft pick of the season. It’s little wonder, then, that many women’s basketball players choose to head abroad in the off-seasons to supplement their incomes, with Brittney having played for Zhejisng Golden Bulls as well as her Russian team, UMMC Ekaterinburg. Nearly half of all WNBA players decided to play for another country during the winter months – with a dozen playing for Russia or Ukraine during that period.It’s easy to see why heading over to Russia would be so appealing for women’s basketball players.
It seems, for the most part, Brittney was a victim of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, having previously played for Russia with no issues for the past eight years. Her arrest came just two weeks before Russia invaded Ukraine, starting a conflict that has rumbled on for 10 months and shows no signs of slowing.
The US had previously been desperately fighting for Brittney’s release before her case went to trial. After declaring her as ‘wrongfully detained’ in May, American officials were openly critical of Russia’s approach to Brittney’s case, with the sportswoman’s wife Chanelle communicating directly with President Joe Biden.
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