WNBA celebrates news of Brittney Griner’s return home

Early Thursday morning, news that Russia freed WNBA champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner broke. After 293 days of being wrongfully detained, Griner is coming home with the U.S. agreeing to a prisoner exchange with notorious Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.

Across the WNBA, Griner’s teammates and peers celebrated. Within the Sky organization, the messages were deeply personal.

Sky coach/GM James Wade coached at powerhouse UMMC Ekaterinburg, Griner’s Russian club, from 2017-2020 and won two Euroleague titles with her. Throughout the 2022 season, Wade was vocal in press conferences and beyond, sharing support for Griner and her family.

Allie Quigley, Courtney Vandersloot and Emma Meesseman were all teammates of Griner’s in Russia as well.

“Today is a monumental day not only for [Griner] but for her family, friends and support system,” Wade said in a statement. “I am so happy to hear of the news of BG’s return home. I know I can speak for the entire Sky organization when I saw words can’t express the happiness that we feel to finally have her coming home.”

“Tears of joy today! And before Christmas? God is so good. Welcome home BG!!!! We love you!” Quigley shared on Twitter.

“BG is going home,” Meesseman tweeted.

“So, so happy for BG and her family,” Candace Parker, who won a gold medal with Griner in 2016 and played with her overseas, shared on Instagram. “This is amazing news.”

Since Griner’s arrest last February, the league has remained vocal in its support for her. Players’ and coaches’ pleas to Biden for her safe return remained steadfast.

Griner’s Olympic teammate and another former Ekaterinburg teammate, Breanna Stewart, shared the same message every day on social media with the only change being the number of days. University of South Carolina championship-winning coach Dawn Staley shared a similar daily message alongside an image of an orange square pin with a message, “We are BG.”

“It has been 293 days since our friend, Brittney Griner, has been wrongfully detained in Russia. It is time for her to come home. We are paying attention and we are counting on you. #WeAreBG” Stewart’s last message pleading for Griner’s release read.

On Thursday, both messages were different.

“God’s grace is SUFFICIENT! Brittney Griner is home! I love you BG!” Staley shared on Twitter.

“BG is FREE!!! 294 days and she is coming home!!!” Stewart’s message read.

Griner was transferred to a Russian penal colony in October after her nine-year sentence for possession of vape cartridges containing trace amounts of cannabis oil was upheld in an appeals court. Russian officials continued to indicate throughout Griner’s wrongful detainment that sincere negotiations regarding a prisoner swap could not begin until the legal process was fully carried out.

Nearly a month after Griner’s transfer to a penal colony in the Western Russian region of Mordovia began, she is coming home.

“Today, my family is whole,” Cherelle Griner said. “But as you all are aware, there are so many other families that are not whole. BG is not here to say this, but I will gladly speak on her behalf and say that BG and I will remain committed to the work of getting every American home, including Paul [Whelan.]”

“Thank you everybody for your support,” Cherelle continued. “Today is just a happy day for me and my family. So, I’m going to smile right now.”