There are interviews, and then there are interviews that make the Internet inhale sharply, collectively. Brittney Griner’s appearance on Cam Newton’s podcast fell squarely in the second camp. Because what started as a casual sit-down turned into something much darker—a retelling of her 2022 Russian prison stint that left the audience stunned. It’s been a few days over 3 years since the Atlanta Dream Center sent that letter to then-President Joe Biden, and the details in her memory are still just as spine-chilling.

“I’m terrified I might be here forever,” she’d written to Biden on the 4th of July in 2022. And through a book, a few reports, and countless interviews, she has explained exactly why. Her recent conversation with former NFL player Cam Newton, on his podcast, was yet another instance.

Griner described a grim Russian cell experience: being locked up with an unnamed woman who, according to Griner, had a deeply disturbing past. There were details, graphic ones, about burn marks, midnight singing, and inmates getting cigarettes stubbed out on them.

“I was mad when I found out about it,” she says, speaking about sharing a cell with someone with a past so dark. “Because I’m just like, not knowing they don’t separate people, I don’t want them [other cellmates] to think I am here for this crime. Don’t associate me with that one. So I didn’t really sleep at night, because she over there singing and doing wired stuff.” 

That was just another page from Griner’s terrifying experience spanning 10 months. And it has been important for her to tell those stories. Because living in those very conditions are hundreds more, unheard, forgotten.

“Somebody will hear this story and then they’ll look up, well, who’s from my state or who’s from my county, who’s from my city that may be locked up abroad, that’s on the wrongfully detained list?” That was the 10x All-Star’s driving force when she decided to share her complete story through ‘Coming Home’. As painful as it is to look back, Griner hasn’t stopped. It took the release of Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout for her to see the light back at home and breathe a sigh of relief that numerous don’t get to.

But before she suited up in the Mercury jersey again, she was out there, telling herself, “Screw it, I’m in prison. It’s OK.” And as she did, it was her fellow players om the league taking a stand for her.

WNBA players put All-Star spotlight to use for Brittney Griner

For the 2025 All-Star, we saw the players pull up with a message printed loud and clear on their t-shirts: “Pay Us What You Owe Us.” As the CBA agreement continues to go back and forth, it was the athletes’ way to put the All-Star spotlight to use. But you see, it wasn’t the first time they’d come up with the silent statement.

Back in 2022, a few months into detention, Brittney Griner had pled guilty to the charges hoping for a reduced sentence. But days in, the situation had still remained uncertain. So as the league took a center stage for the All-Star festivities, players came out of the locker room during half time, wearing a jersey with Griner’s name and No. 42 on the back.

“Like we say, we are the most unified league in the world honestly and wearing the jerseys was a statement to show that we are with BG. She’s our sister and at the end of the day we are going to do whatever we can to amplify the platform that we have to make sure that everyone is doing what they need to do to make sure that she gets home safely,” A’ja Wilson had said. And well, that unison changed today as over 40 players came out to be a part of the CBA negotiations. But that’s sure a much simpler hurdle for Griner.