Brittney Griner was released in December after over ten months in captivity. Before her release, Griner was moved to the IK-2 penal colony in Mordovia. The conditions in the Russian penal colonies are reportedly brutal and the labor camps force the prisoners to hard labor for 16 hours a day. After the continued efforts of the U.S. government, she was released in exchange for arms dealer Viktor Bout. Many fans and celebrities celebrated the return of the Phoenix Mercury star.

In the wake of the new year, the release of Griner is celebrated again in the state of Arizona. Griner helped the Mercury win the 2014 WNBA title and is one of the most popular WNBA stars in the state.

Brittney Griner named “Arizonan of the Year”

The Arizonan Republic selected Brittney Griner as the “Arizonan of the Year” because of her popularity and impact in 2022. The report stated, “Today we name Brittney Griner “Arizonan of the Year” because no other Arizona newsmaker in 2022 captured the public eye as intensely as she did. Nor has anyone’s story in this state aroused the kind of fear and foreboding that hers had for nearly 300 days.” 

The Phoenix Mercury’s official Twitter handle shared the news of Griner being named the “Arizonan of the Year” but the fans were not impressed. Many fans expressed that Griner is not a role model because of her alleged crime. On the other hand, some fans acknowledged she deserved to be free but even they were not happy with the “Arizonan of the Year” tag.

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However, the eight-time all-star was definitely one of the most popular athletes in the country because of the whole ordeal. Many celebrities talked about her and showed their support to bring her issue to the masses. The WNBA made huge efforts to the news to as many people as they could.

Griner’s 2022

Brittney Griner was detained in February 2022 for carrying small amounts of cannabis oil. She was charged with carrying and possessing drugs. She pleaded guilty and was sentenced to nine years in prison. Griner’s attorneys then appealed the sentencing. But the appeal was rejected and the nine-year sentence was upheld. Then she was moved to the penal colony which raised concerns about her safety and well-being.

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Finally, the U.S. Government secured her freedom with a prisoner swap deal. In her statement, Griner thanked everyone who supported her and helped her return to the country. She missed the whole WNBA season during her time in prison. In her statement, Griner revealed she will play in the upcoming season.