Brittney Griner is back in the WNBA with the Phoenix Mercury, and the team gave everyone their first look at the center as she returns to playing top-flight basketball in the US.

On Tuesday, the Mercury uploaded photos of Griner in Mercury gear as she worked out with the team. The 32-year-old was full of smiles, clearly delighted as she is slowly getting her life back to normal following her Russia ordeal.

The Mercury officially signed Brittney Griner to a one-year deal worth $165,000 on Tuesday. General manager Jim Pitman welcomed Griner back with a strong message, sharing that they will continue to support her on and off the floor.

“It's a great day for all of us to announce that Brittney Griner has officially signed to play for the Mercury in 2023,” Pitman said in the team's statement about the signing. “We missed BG every day that she was gone and, while basketball was not our primary concern, her presence on the floor, in our locker room, around our organization, and within our community was greatly missed.

“We will continue to use the resources of our organization to support her, on and off the floor, and we are thrilled for her that she gets to return to basketball, which she loves so dearly. This is a special signing and today is a special day for all of us.”

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For those not in the know, Griner spent nearly a year in Russian prison after she was wrongfully detained for drug trafficking and possession charges. She was sent to a Russian penal colony and was only released after the US government agreed to a prisoner exchange.

Hopefully, as he returns to the WNBA, her life gets back to normal as well.