Phoenix Mercury star Brittney Griner opened up about her meetings with President Joe Biden since her release from Russian prison 17 months ago.
Since her release, Griner, 33, has met with President Biden twice, including once last month in Phoenix. The experience of her detainment and subsequent release is detailed in her new book, “Coming Home,” which is set to be published Tuesday.
“Got to talk to him about a couple of people and just keep it on the forefront of everyone’s mind,” Griner said, as reported by Doug Feinberg of the Associated Press. “You want to get exposure and that keeps it on the forefront of people’s minds. Keep people accountable.”
Griner, who was detained in Russia in February 2022 after vape cartridges containing cannabis oil were found in her luggage, is gradually resuming a sense of normalcy. Her life, however, has taken a turn, as she continues to cope with the aftermath of her 10-month incarceration. The 6-foot-8 center now regularly sees a therapist and has become an advocate for the return of other Americans detained overseas.
Griner hopes her book will provide a vivid picture of what detainees endure, noting, “I didn’t leave anything out from the detainment, to being over there, the conditions. As much as we could fit into a book, we basically did.”
Brittney Griner continues to advocate for detainees abroad
Griner hopes that people will gain a better understanding of the conditions that detainees face, including Americans like Paul Whelan and Evan Gershkovich, who have not yet returned home.
“It took everyone to come together to bring me home,” she said. Government officials “have to make really hard decisions.”
Griner's first meeting with President Biden was at the White House Correspondent’s dinner in 2023, a few months after her return to the U.S. She and her WNBA teammates must now focus on keeping the momentum going to bring other detainees home.
“How are we going to do it? Bringing in families, playing videos, give them airtime?” she said. “Maybe someone that doesn’t know, sees (the book) and they write a letter to Congress that tips over the scale to get someone home.”
Griner, who previously played basketball overseas during the WNBA offseason, has decided to remain in the U.S. moving forward, except when playing with USA Basketball. She hopes to join the Olympic team at the Paris Games this summer. Griner’s wife, Cherelle, is expecting their first child, and Griner wants to be present for her family.
“They are instrumental to my mental health,” Griner said about her sessions. “Everyone can benefit from having someone to talk to. Someone outside of their every day life. It just helps to have a different perspective on life from someone.
“That way if you do feel nervous or struggling with something, it’s very beneficial.”
Last summer, Griner also took a mental health break during the WNBA season, missing three games.
As Griner enters her 12th year in the league, she reflects on the outpouring of support she received during her imprisonment.
“The letters were amazing from the fans, teammates, opponents, GMs, they all meant so much to me,” she said. “It was very dark at times, especially going through the trial. When I was in isolation for weeks, it was an emotional rollercoaster and those letters made me remember that I wasn’t forgotten.”
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