Brittney Griner made her return to the American national team on the night from Sunday to Monday. The basketball star was held in a Russian prison for ten months last year.
Griner was welcomed to Knoxville with loud cheers. She scored eleven points in the exhibition game against Tennessee. It was the Phoenix Mercury basketball star’s first match with the national team since the Olympic Games in Tokyo, where the US won gold.
The 33-year-old Griner was arrested in Russia in February last year because she had cannabis oil with her for medical reasons. This substance is banned in Russia. Griner was sentenced to nine years in prison.
The basketball star did not have to serve the entire sentence. In December, she was exchanged for Viktor Bout after ten months of detention. The Russian arms dealer had been convicted in the US.
Griner made her return to the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) six months ago. Griner, who won two Olympic gold medals with the American team, is considered one of the best basketball players in the world. She left for Russia to play for the Russian UMMC Yekaterinburg between American seasons.
2023-11-06 09:05:58
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