Phoenix Mercury

Phoenix Mercury star Brittney Griner is returning to the United States.

A United States official told CBS News Griner was released from a Russian prison on Thursday in a one-for-one prisoner swap for international arms dealer Viktor Bout.

President Joe Biden confirmed Griner's release on Twitter after the report:

Moments ago I spoke to Brittney Griner.

She is safe.
She is on a plane.
She is on her way home. pic.twitter.com/FmHgfzrcDT

— President Biden Archived (@POTUS46Archive) December 8, 2022

CBS noted negotiations have been ongoing "in recent weeks," with Biden giving final approval within the last week.

"A White House official said President Biden was in the Oval Office Thursday morning on the phone, speaking with Griner and her wife, and that Vice President Kamala Harris was also in the room," according to CBS. "Per standard procedure for freed U.S. prisoners, Griner was expected to quickly undergo a medical evaluation."

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert issued the following statement regarding Brittney Griner: pic.twitter.com/Kynxlg3PZV

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) December 8, 2022

A Russian court found her guilty of drug possession and smuggling on Aug. 4 and sentenced her to nine years in prison. ESPN's T.J. Quinn noted the length of the sentence might have been immaterial toward getting her back in the U.S.:

BREAKING: Brittney Griner sentenced to 9 years by Russian court.
Daunting but expected sentence. Effectively closes 1st chapter in her detainment and moves her fate to the diplomatic world. Real length of detention will be however long it takes to reach deal between US & Russia.

— T.J. Quinn (@TJQuinnESPN) August 4, 2022

CNN's Kylie Atwood, Evan Perez and Jennifer Hansler reported on July 28 the Biden administration was prepared to exchange convicted arms trafficker Bout for Griner and Paul Whelan. Whelan is a former U.S. Marine who was sentenced to 16 years in prison in Russia on espionage charges in 2020.

For those who have been pushing Biden for Griner's release, it was seen as a potentially significant breakthrough.

However, CNN's Natasha Bertrand and Frederik Pleitgen reported on Aug. 1 that Russian officials countered by requesting convicted murderer Vadim Krasikov to be included in the prisoner swap.

Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a press briefing on Aug. 1 that Russia wasn't negotiating in good faith and didn't provide "a serious counteroffer." John Kirby, the spokesman for the U.S. National Security Council echoed that sentiment at a press briefing the following day.

"Obviously, we’re not going to negotiate this thing in public," he said. "And I do appreciate the question, but we...look, we’ve made a serious proposal, made a serious offer. And we urge the Russians to take that offer, because it was done with sincerity and...and we know we can back it up."

By November, State Department spokesman Ned Price confirmed officials from the U.S. embassy had met with Griner, though there didn't appear to be much progress toward securing her release.

Griner was arrested in February at a Moscow airport for allegedly carrying vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage. News of her arrest didn't reach the United States until early March.

In March, Quinn and Mechelle Voepel interviewed Tom Firestone, a former legal adviser for the U.S. embassy. Firestone said Griner's detention could quickly take on political implications, at which point "the Russian government may dig into their position."

As a result, those close to the seven-time WNBA All-Star were careful to avoid drawing too much attention to the story in the hope it could be resolved quietly behind the scenes.

Public outcry began to grow over the ensuing weeks with little to no progress made, though. By early May, the U.S. State Department classified Griner as "wrongfully detained," which allowed government officials to begin formally working toward her release.

On July 7, Griner pleaded guilty to drug charges.

Quinn reported the plea "was a strategy to help facilitate a prisoner swap that could bring Griner home, and it also was a recognition that there was no way she was going to be acquitted."

Quinn added that the case could extend for weeks or possibly months even after Griner pleaded guilty.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov was critical of how the U.S. government was handling the matter, telling reporters that "attempts by the American side to make noise in public ... don’t help the practical settlement of issues."

Ryabkov also said labeling Griner as wrongfully detained "makes it difficult to engage in detailed discussion of any possible exchanges."

"The persistence with which the U.S. administration ... describes those who were handed prison sentences for serious criminal articles and those who are awaiting the end of investigation and court verdicts as ‘wrongfully detained’ reflects Washington’s refusal to have a sober view of the outside world," he said.

Griner, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 WNBA draft, has played nine years in the WNBA. In addition to her multiple All-Star nods, the 31-year-old is a two-time Defensive Player of the Year and was selected on the WNBA's 25th anniversary team. In 2014, she helped the Mercury win their third WNBA title.

Griner was in Russia because playing overseas has traditionally been a way for WNBA players to supplement their income. Overseas teams are often willing to pay significantly more than their WNBA counterparts.

Last October, Griner lamented how competing in Europe and playing year-round was "getting harder and harder," adding she was "not looking forward to it, honestly, having to leave my family."

A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department said Friday in a statement that Russia has not yet been serious in its negotiations for a prisoner swap involving WNBA star Brittney Griner.

According to ESPN's T.J. Quinn, the State Department statement downplayed an earlier statement released by Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov:

"We are not going to comment on the specifics of any proposals other than to say that we have made a substantial offer that the Russian Federation has consistently failed to negotiate in good faith. The U.S. Government has continued to follow up on that offer and propose alternative potential ways forward with the Russian government. The Russian government's failure to seriously negotiate on these issues in the established channel, or any other channel for that matter runs counter to its public statements."

Ryabkov released a statement regarding Russia's attempt to negotiate the return of convicted arms dealer Viktor Bout, who is currently serving a 25-year prison sentence in the United States: "We haven't found common ground yet, but, undoubtedly, Viktor Bout is among those being discussed and obviously we are hoping for a positive result. The Americans are showing certain activity and we are working on this through appropriate channels."

Since the U.S. has made attempts to bring Griner home through a prisoner swap, Ryabkov's statement led to assumptions that progress was potentially being made on that front.

Griner has been in Russian custody for 274 days after she was found to be in possession of vape cartridges containing hashish oil in an airport near Moscow on Feb 17.

She pleaded guilty to drug smuggling charges and was sentenced to nine years in prison. The sentence was upheld upon appeal, and Griner was transferred from a jail in Moscow to a Russian penal colony 210 miles east of Moscow this month.

The United States declared that Griner was being wrongfully detained in Russia three months after her arrest but has thus far been unsuccessful in negotiating her release.

Per ESPN, U.S. President Joe Biden said this week that his "hope" is Russian President Vladimir Putin will be more willing to "talk more seriously" about a prisoner exchange involving Griner now that the United States midterm elections are over.

Brittney Griner's lawyers, Maria Blagovolina and Alexander Boykov, and agent, Lindsay Colas, confirmed Thursday the WNBA star has been relocated to a Russian penal colony in Mordovia, which is approximately 210 miles east of Moscow.

Griner is serving a nine-year sentence after her appeal was denied Oct. 25.

"Brittney is doing as well as could be expected and trying to stay strong as she adapts to a new environment," her lawyers said in a statement Thursday while also confirming they visited with her this week.

"Despite the fact she is alone and now nearing her ninth month in detention separated from her loved ones, she is trying to stay strong," Colas said in a statement. "At this time, we will not be sharing any further details, but want to express our deepest thanks to the Biden Administration, the Richardson Center, and to everyone who has reached out to offer words of encouragement to her."

Griner, who the United States government has classified as "wrongfully detained," was arrested at a Moscow-area airport Feb. 17 after vape cartridges containing hashish oil were found in her luggage.

She pleaded guilty to drug smuggling charges in July but said she was prescribed cannabis to treat chronic pain and packed the canisters inadvertently. The appeal of her nine-year sentence was denied.

Frederik Pleitgen, Kylie Atwood, Eliott C. McLaughlin and Rob Picheta of CNN noted the United States State Department said Wednesday it was in touch with Griner's legal team and "strongly protest[s]" the transfer.

CNN cited a human rights report from the State Department, which revealed prisoners in such penal colonies can be subjected to "solitary confinement or punitive stays in psychiatric units."

Prisoners are also forced into labor at times, although it depends on the specific penal colony.

"Built during the Soviet Union, most of the colonies have been likened to Soviet-era gulags; prison camps that expanded across the region during Josef Stalin’s rule in the mid-20th century," Pleitgen, Atwood, McLaughlin and Picheta wrote.

President Joe Biden told reporters he is "determined" to get WNBA star Brittney Griner back to the United States and is hopeful Russian president Vladimir Putin will be willing to work together on a prisoner exchange.

"My hope is that now that the [midterm] election is over, that Mr. Putin will be able to discuss with us and be willing to talk more seriously about a prisoner exchange," Biden said.

Griner was sentenced to nine years in a Russian prison following a conviction for drug smuggling in August after initially being detained for having hashish oil in her luggage at a Moscow airport in February. She is currently in the process of being transferred to a Russian penal colony after an appeal of her conviction was denied Oct. 25.

"Our primary concern continues to be BG's health and well-being," Griner's agent, Lindsay Kagawa Colas, said in a statement. "As we work through this very difficult phase of not knowing exactly where BG is or how she is doing, we ask for the public's support in continuing to write letters and express their love and care for her."

The U.S. State Department has categorized Griner as being wrongfully detained. Biden has attempted to work with Putin for months on a potential prisoner exchange but has not gotten much cooperation from the Russian president, who has long had an adversarial relationship with the United States.

Tensions have skyrocketed between Russia and the United States over aid the Biden administration has sent to Ukraine after Putin ordered an invasion of the bordering country earlier this year. There has not been a direct link between the Griner case and the war in Ukraine, but it's unlikely the relationship between the U.S. and Russia has helped matters.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the Biden administration made a "substantial proposal" over the summer for the release of Griner and ex-Marine Paul Whelan. Biden said last month that his administration was in "constant contact" with Russia regarding her release.

Several experts have called Griner a political prisoner.

The WNBA and several of its stars have released statements calling on the Biden administration to bring Griner back to the United States.

WNBA star Brittney Griner, who has been detained in Russia since February, is being moved to a Russian penal colony.

According to ESPN's T.J. Quinn, Griner's Russian legal team announced the move Wednesday and noted that the process began Friday. Her team also said that neither they nor Griner's family are aware of exactly where she will be taken.

Quinn added that the lawyers told him transfers can take "weeks or months."

Griner's lawyers, who said they were not told she had been moved until Tuesday, added that it could take up to two weeks before Griner's family receives an update on her location via official mail.

Russian authorities first took Griner into custody on Feb. 17 at an airport near Moscow when she was found to be in possession of vape cartridges containing hashish oil.

Griner pleaded guilty to drug smuggling charges and was sentenced to nine years in prison. She appealed, but the conviction was upheld, prompting United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken to call it "another failure of justice, compounding the injustice of her detention."

Griner was declared "wrongfully detained" by U.S. officials in May.

Per Quinn, the United States made an offer in June for a potential prisoner swap, but the offer was turned down and the White House said in a statement that there has been a "lack of good faith negotiation" from the Russian government since then.

Despite the lack of success thus far, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Wednesday that the government continues to work to bring Griner home:

"Every minute that Brittney Griner must endure wrongful detention in Russia is a minute too long. As the Administration continues to work tirelessly to secure her release, the President has directed the Administration to prevail on her Russian captors to improve her treatment and the conditions she may be forced to endure in a penal colony."

According to Quinn, Griner last spoke to her lawyers Nov. 2, and she hasn't had outside contact with anyone since Thursday, when she met with U.S. embassy officials.

The 32-year-old Griner is widely regarded as one of the best women's basketball players in the world, having earned eight WNBA All-Star selections, two WNBA scoring titles, two WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Awards and one WNBA championship during her nine seasons with the Phoenix Mercury.

Griner, who has also played professionally in Russia for UMMC Ekaterinburg since 2014, is a two-time Olympic gold medalist for Team USA as well.

Officials from the U.S. Embassy in Moscow met with Phoenix Mercury star Brittney Griner, who has been wrongfully detained in Russia for 259 days.

State Department spokesman Ned Price provided an update Thursday on Twitter:

.@USEmbRU officials visited Brittney Griner today. They saw firsthand her tenacity and perseverance despite her present circumstances. We continue to press for the immediate release of Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan and fair treatment for every detained American.

— State Department Spokesperson 2013-2025 (@statedeptspox_a) November 3, 2022

Griner's wife, Cherelle, was a guest Tuesday on ABC's The View and shared a harrowing account of a conversation they recently had.

"Her mental it's not there, and she told me, 'I'm really just trying to hold on to the last bit of you that I can remember,'" Cherelle said.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwbEzTdWLJ4

A Russian court found Griner guilty of drug charges in August and sentenced her to nine years in prison, one year short of the maximum sentence. Her appeal was formally denied in October, and she expected to be moved to a penal colony to serve out her sentence.

CNN's Kylie Atwood, Evan Perez and Jennifer Hansler reported in July the Biden administration was prepared to release convicted arms trafficker Viktor Bout in exchange for Griner and Paul Whelan. Whelan is a former U.S. Marine who was found guilty on espionage charges in 2018.

Natasha Bertrand and Frederik Pleitgen of CNN followed up to report Russian officials lobbied to include convicted murderer Vadim Krasikov, who's in custody in Germany, as part of the prisoner swap.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre acknowledged Thursday there had been conversations regarding a possible exchange.

"The U.S. government made a significant offer to the Russians to resolve the current unacceptable and wrongful detentions of American citizens," she said, per NBC News' Lauren Egan.

Phoenix Mercury star Skylar Diggins-Smith announced Monday she and her husband, Daniel, are expecting their second child.

Congrats to Skylar Diggins-Smith on her newest addition ♥️ pic.twitter.com/matf7ei5A3

— WSLAM (@wslam) October 17, 2022

Diggins-Smith gave birth to their first child in April 2019. She later said she played the entire 2018 WNBA season while pregnant, a year that saw her average 17.9 points and 6.2 assists in 34.1 minutes per game. The 32-year-old missed the 2019 season while recovering from her pregnancy.

Her status for 2023 remains unclear. She's signed with the Mercury for one more year and is due to earn $234,350.

Diggins-Smith, who had criticized what she felt had been a lack of support from the Dallas Wings during her first pregnancy, told ESPN's M.A. Voepel in November 2019 that she wanted to address that concern with the new collective bargaining agreement.

"I've already reached out to a few moms," she said. "As we negotiate with the CBA, how can we improve things? It's about prioritization; we can't have everything. But I'm going to bring that portion to the table because I'm a mom."

The WNBA and the Women's National Basketball Players Association signed an eight-year CBA in January 2020. As part of the wide-ranging pact, players became entitled to collect their full salary while on maternity leave. They can also collect a $5,000 stipend for child care and receive "workplace accommodations that provide a comfortable, safe and private place for nursing mothers."

Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner is facing a nine-year prison sentence in Russia, and she is reportedly not optimistic about her chances to be freed and return home to the United States.

Griner's lawyer recently provided an update on her condition to Valerie Hopkins and Michael Crowley of Yahoo Sports.

"She is not yet absolutely convinced that America will be able to take her home," Alexander D. Boykov said. "She is very worried about what the price of that will be, and she is afraid that she will have to serve the whole sentence here in Russia."

Boykov said Griner "has not been in as good condition as I could sometimes find her in." The 31-year-old, who has been detained for 238 days, is allowed outside only once per day and spends the rest of her time in a small cell with two cellmates.

"She suffers a lot without her family because she hasn't seen them for so long and it's very difficult to talk to them in any way," Boykov said. He stated that Griner has been unable to speak with her parents or siblings since being detained, and it's also been very difficult to arrange phone calls with her wife, Cherelle.

A Russian court convicted Griner of drug possession charges in August after she was stopped at an airport near Moscow for carrying two vape cartridges containing hashish oil in her luggage in February. At the time, she was on her way to play for UMMC Yekaterinburg, a Russian professional women's basketball team she has represented during WNBA offseasons since 2014.

The United States designated Griner as "wrongfully detained" in May and has maintained that her detention and trial are politically motivated.

Per Hopkins and Crowley, U.S. President Joe Biden said Wednesday that there has been "no movement" with Russian President Vladimir Putin over Griner's case. Biden told CNN on Tuesday that he would only talk to Putin at next month's Group of 20 meeting in Bali, Indonesia, if it's to discuss Griner's situation.

A hearing for the appeal of Griner's conviction is scheduled for Oct. 25. If the appeal is unsuccessful, she could be sent back to the penal colony outside Moscow where she is currently detained, or she could be sent to one of the country's prison camps for women.

Boykov called her nine-year prison sentence an "unprecedented punishment" and said he's hoping it gets reduced.

"Perhaps the verdict will somehow be changed, and perhaps the sentence will be reduced, because the decision taken by the first court is very different from judicial practice," he said. "Considering all the circumstances, taking into account my client's personality traits and her admission of guilt, such a verdict should be absolutely impossible."

Cherrelle Griner said her wife, WNBA star Brittney Griner, is "at her absolute weakest moment in life right now" as she awaits an appeal hearing in Russia on Oct. 25.

Speaking to Gayle King of CBS Mornings, Cherrelle explained she became very concerned after a recent phone call with Brittney.

"You could hear that she was not okay," she said. "If you think about just a person's suffering and when they have suffered to a max…she was at the max that day."

Cherrelle noted Brittney's tone was in stark contrast to what she was like during the first phone conversation they had.

"The first time, she was delighted. It was just so delightful just to hear her voice," Cherrelle said.

Brittney Griner is awaiting an appeal hearing after a Russian court sentenced her to nine years in prison on charges of drug possession and smuggling.

Per ESPN's T.J. Quinn, the sentence was expected after Griner pleaded guilty to the charges in July.

"But she and her supporters have also been aware that Russia was not going to move forward with a trade that could bring her home until her trial was completed," Quinn wrote. "A guilty verdict was considered a foregone conclusion, and Griner pleaded guilty July 7, though the case continued under Russian law."

The Russian government originally detained Griner in February at Sheremetyevo International Airport for having vape cartridges containing hashish oil in her luggage.

She has been held in Russia for 231 days.

Griner was entering the country to play for UMMC Ekaterinburg of the Russian Premier League. She joined the team in 2014 and has played for the club in between WNBA seasons as one of a number of WNBA players who play elsewhere during offseasons for supplemental income.

In the wake of Griner's sentencing, President Joe Biden issued a statement calling on Russia to release her. He added the administration will "continue to work tirelessly and pursue every possible avenue to bring Brittney and Paul Whelan [a former U.S. Marine arrested on espionage charges in Russia in 2018] home safely as soon as possible."

Russia's foreign ministry said on Aug. 18 it was engaged in "quiet diplomacy" with the U.S. about a potential prisoner exchange involving Griner. The U.S. government has offered to send Viktor Bout, a convicted Russian arms dealer, to bring Griner and Whelan home.

National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby said the U.S. received a counterproposal from Russian officials that he described as "a bad faith attempt to avoid a very serious offer and proposal that the United States has put forward" in an interview with CNN (h/t Insider).

Cherrelle Griner told King she hopes a deal can be reached before the appeal hearing because Brittney could be "moved to a labor camp" if her appeal is denied.

Biden met with Cherrelle and Elizabeth Whelan, sister of Paul Whelan, in the Oval Office on Sept. 16 to assure the families the United States is doing everything in its power to get Brittney and Paul back to the country.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Tuesday the U.S. has yet to receive a serious response to its offer of a prisoner exchange and it needs "to see a serious counter-offer."

Brittney Griner will appeal her nine-year prison sentence during a hearing in Russian court on Oct. 25, according to Vladimir Isachenkov of the Associated Press.

The WNBA star has been detained for 228 days, since her arrest at the Moscow airport on Feb. 17 for drug possession. After pleading guilty to carrying cannabis oil in her luggage, she was sentenced to nine years in prison in August, just short of the 10-year maximum sentence.

Her lawyers later announced plans to appeal the conviction.

The United States State Department considers Griner to be "wrongfully detained" and is attempting to bring her home.

Cherelle Griner, Brittney's wife, met with president Joe Biden last month to discuss the administration's plan of action.

"The President held the meetings to reiterate his continued commitment to working through all available avenues to bring Brittney and Paul [Whelan] home safely," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.

In July, U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said the administration had made a "substantial proposal" to Russia to facilitate the return of Griner and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, who is serving 16 years after being convicted of espionage.

According to ESPN's T.J. Quinn, Griner's lawyers would be willing to drop the appeal if it helps facilitate a deal to free her.