Brittney Griner will return to basketball with a Phoenix Mercury jersey

American basketball player Brittney Griner, who was released after a prisoner exchange with Russia, was transferred to the Phoenix Mercury, one of the teams in the American Women’s Basketball League (WNBA).

In a statement from the Phoenix Mercury, the 32-year-old Griner was said to have signed a one-year contract.

Stating that he is very happy with the addition of Griner to the team, the club’s general manager, Jim Pitman, said: “It’s a big day for us. We’ve missed Brittney Griner every day since she left us. Her performance won’t be an issue. for us. Your presence on the field and in the locker room, your involvement in this organization are the most important factors for us. Welcome home.” he used his statements.

HE WAS ARRESTED IN RUSSIA AND BROUGHT TO THE UNITED STATES

Griner, who was selected to the WBNA All-Star Game 8 times in his career and won the Olympic and world championships twice, reached the WNBA championship in 2014 at the Phoenix Mercury, where he played before.

Griner’s life changed when she was a member of the UMMC Ekaterinburg team in Russia, where she won 4 FIBA ​​Women’s Europa League and 3 Russian League Cups.

Griner, who was arrested on February 17 last year when boxes of e-cigarettes containing cannabis oil were found among his belongings during a search at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport, was sentenced to 9 years in prison. The arrest, which occurred at a time when relations between Washington and Moscow were delicate, remained on the agenda of international public opinion for a long time. As a result of negotiations between the two countries, Griner was taken to the US on December 9 as a result of the exchange made with the imprisoned Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. (AA)