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WNBA star Britney Griner was arrested in Russia this week.
According to reports from The New York Times, the Phoenix Mercury player was detained after customs officials detected cannabis oil in her luggage at an airport near Moscow.
USA Basketball, the governing body for sport in the United States, said in a statement it is “aware of and closely monitoring the legal situation facing Brittney Griner in Russia.”
“Brittney has always handled herself with the utmost professionalism during her long tenure with USA Basketball and her safety and wellbeing are our primary concerns,” they continued.
The WNBA echoed that sentiment, saying Griner has its “full support” and going on to say that its main priority is “her swift and safe return to the United States.”
So, what is a WNBA star doing in Russia, especially in a time like this? Get to know more about the baller below.
Griner currently plays for the Russian team, UMMC Ekaterinburg. She has been playing with the team every year since 2015, during the WNBA offseason. In five games this season, she is averaging 13.2 points and 4.2 rebounds per game.
The baller, who won the WNBA championship with the Mercury in 2014, averaged 20.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game last season with Phoenix. She is also a two-time medalist at the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Championship with Team USA.
As for her personal life, Brittney is married to content writer and blogger Cherelle Watson. The couple officially got engaged on August 8, 2018, getting married a few years later in a secret ceremony with only a limited number of people invited.
Griner was previously with fellow WNBA player Glory Johnson, with whom she shares two twin babies. But, just one day after Johnson announced her pregnancy, Griner moved to annul their 28-day marriage.
Unfortunately, because the twins were preemies, they have had a slew of costly medical issues. Now, Brittney and Glory are in the midst of an ongoing battle for child support.
