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As reported by ESPN, Brittney Griner is still at a hotel in Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, alongside her wife. The 32-year-old athlete who made international headlines following her arrest and release from a Russian prison is still figuring things out and isn’t ready to reveal if her plans include returning to her WNBA career with the Phoenix Mercury.
“If she wants to play, it will be for her to share. She has the holidays to rest and decide what’s next without any pressure,” her agent, Lindsay Kagawa Colas, said. “She’s doing really, really well. She seems to have endured this in pretty incredible ways.”
Still, Griner’s love for the sport has not changed, as the publications informed that her agent confirmed she was playing basketball for the first time in almost ten months.
In addition to exercising, Griner and her wife, Cherelle, have been meeting with family members, eating barbecue from Smoke Shack, and getting a new haircut from the San Antonio Spurs’ barber after she decided to cut her famously long hair because it kept freezing in the Russian cold.
When is Brittney Griner heading back home?
According to ESPN, sources close to Griner have said she would not head to her Phoenix home after leaving the base. The basketball player plans to move to a private, secure location.
“There’s no timeline on her return at this point. She’s reintegrating into a world that has changed for her now,” Colas said. “From a pure security standpoint, she’s not going to be able to move in the world the way she did. It’s not a fate that she asked for, but I think she’s going to try to utilize her fame for good.”
The American basketball star landed at the JBSA-Kelly Field Annex runway on December 9, 2022 in San Antonio, after serving time on narcotic charges. She was released in exchange for another prisoner, as reported by CBS News. According to the news publication, President Joe Biden signed off on the trade, which took place in the United Arab Emirates.
“Moments ago I spoke to Brittney Griner. She is safe. She is on a plane. She is on her way home,” the United States President wrote alongside snaps of himself, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Griner’s wife, Cherelle.
After her release
Brittney Griner’s family has issued a statement addressing her release. “We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to President Biden and his administration for the tireless work they did to bring Brittney home. We would also like to extend a special thank you to Governor Richardson and Mickey Bergman of the Richardson Center for their work, as well as for remaining in constant communication with us,” the statement reads.
“We sincerely thank you all for the kind words, thoughts, and prayers - including Paul and the Whelan family, who have been generous with their support for Brittney and our family during what we know is a heartbreaking time. We pray for Paul and for the swift and safe return of all wrongfully-detained Americans,” they added.