Brittney Griner Reveals Crushing Details About Her Time In Russian Jail

Brittney Griner. Credit: Megan Mendoza/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Brittney Griner Reveals Crushing Details About Her Time In Russian Jail

Originally posted on Total Pro Sports | By Orlando Silva | Last updated May 7, 2026 11:54 PM ET

WNBA superstar Brittney Griner shared details of her experience in prison. Her dramatic situation became a national topic after Russian authorities arrested her in February 2022.

Griner traveled to the Eurasian country to join UMMC Ekaterinburg in Russia, a team she had played for since 2014. Authorities found cartridges containing hash oil. She received a nine-year sentence, but only remained behind bars for nearly 10 months.

Four years after the traumatic moment, Griner opened up on that situation. She was exchanged for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout before returning to the Phoenix Mercury.

Brittney Griner Shares Heartbreaking Details About Jail Time in Russia

Brittney Griner (Photo By Brett Davis-Imagn Images)

Speaking with WHYY, Griner revealed how ready she was to spend nearly a decade in prison, even telling her wife to continue with her life.

“I was still at the detention center when I wrote this one,” Griner said. “It was a hard letter to write. It’s just like that’s a long time. It’s already a long time for someone to do it in the states, but you can visit them occasionally. You could never visit me [in Russia]. I wanted her to promise me that she’d still be my friend, that she’d still write to me.”