Brittney Griner has finally landed in the US nearly after ten months. The WNBA star was stuck in Russia since February after authorities seized trace amounts of cannabis oil in her belongings. She was sent to a penal colony in Mordovia last month, where she reportedly dealt with some of the harshest and most inhumane conditions imaginable. The US authorities secured Griner’s release on December 8 as part of the prisoner swap that took place in the UAE. Recently, Griner’s appearance during an interview on the plane has drawn sympathy from NBA fans.

Brittney Griner was sentenced to nine years in prison for drug possession charges after the Russian customs officers reportedly found vape cartridges filled with cannabis oil in her luggage. BG spent a little over a month at the IK-2 penal colony before the State Department finalized a one-for-one prisoner swap deal on December 1.

However, her time in Russia has certainly taken a heavy toll on the two-time Olympic gold medalist. Thus, a drastic change in her looks has left NBA fans emotional.

Brittney Griner reveals her thoughts after release

HuffPost’s Philip Lewis recently shared footage of Brittney Griner’s interview on a plane to the US. The senior editor also shared that Griner appeared to be in good spirits after her release from Russia.

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Philip Lewis wrote,?“Brittney Griner says she’s happy to be released in footage from plane.”

The recent footage of Brittney Griner’s worn-out appearance has drawn sympathy from fans who had been praying for her safe return for months.

NBA fans sympathize with Griner

After Brittney Griner’s recent clip spread through social media, one fan couldn’t believe the shocking change in Griner’s appearance. The fan wrote,?“I’m fed up they cut her locs that’s so dehumanizing.”

The fan noticed that Griner’s dreadlocks had been cut off. He felt that losing her dreadlocks must have been so dehumanizing for the WNBA star.

Moreover, many fans on Twitter shared their sympathetic thoughts about the transformed looks of Brittney Griner. Here are some of the reactions from NBA fans.

https://twitter.com/DubCity6/status/1600997912104013825

https://twitter.com/Woodsage001/status/1601008585290395648

Many fans seemed to be surprised by Brittney Griner’s dishevelled appearance. Some of them noticed that Brittney Griner’s dreadlocks were missing, making them feel sad about the trauma she had been through.

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At the same time, other fans pointed out that Griner seemed scared and there was disbelief in her eyes about finally coming home. What was your initial reaction after seeing her for the first time after release? Let us know in the comments below.