Brittney Griner is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). She was born on October 18, 1990, in Houston, Texas, United States. Brittney was detained in Russia after being found guilty of drug smuggling and possession charges
Is Brittney Griner back in the United States?
Griner has been sentenced in Russia. On Thursday, August 4, Brittney Griner, the seven-time WNBA All-Star and two-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year was found guilty of drug charges in Russia and sentenced to nine years in prison. She has been in Russian custody since being detained in February at Sheremetyevo International Airport.
Griner, a 31-year-old Houston native who plays professional basketball for the Phoenix Mercury, was returning to Russia for the WNBA’s offseason when she was detained at Sheremetyevo International Airport in the Moscow suburb of Khimki on Feb. 17, after being accused of having vape cartridges containing hashish oil, which is illegal in the country
Griner, has played for UMMC Ekaterinburg in the Russian Premier League during the WNBA offseason. She was detained after customs service officials said they found vape cartridges containing hashish oil in her luggage at the Sheremetyevo airport.
The WNBA player was arrested on February 17, 2022, and on July 7, Brittney Griner pleaded guilty to smuggling drug products into Russia, where she has been detained.