In early March, news broke that Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner was arrested and being held in Russia. An early report from the Russian news outlet Interfax stated that the WNBA star could face between five and ten years in jail.
Now, according to ESPN (sourced by Russian news agency TASS), Griner's detention in Russia will be until May 19.
“The court granted the petition of the investigation and extended the term of U.S. citizen Griner's detention until May 19,” ESPN shared courtesy of TASS. Griner's case is being handled by the Khimkinsky court in the Moscow region.
The Phoenix star was arrested in February at Sheremetyevo airport in Moscow because she had vapes in her luggage that had “narcotic cannabis oil.” Griner was heading overseas to play for UMMC Ekaterinburg, a women's basketball team in the Euroleague. She has been a member of the Russian team since 2014.
Griner has been a force to be reckoned with since she entered the WNBA. She is a seven-time All-Star and led the Mercury to a championship in 2014. Phoenix selected the 6'9″ center first overall in the 2013 WNBA Draft, and she's been with the team ever since.
Last season, she continued her dominating career with the Mercury. She averaged 20.5 points, 2.7 assists, and 9.5 rebounds each game. When she returns from Russia, the 31-year-old will enter her ninth year in the league.
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