Brittney Griner is speaking out for the first time about her trip home. The WNBA player, who returned to the United States last week following a prisoner swap with Russia, had been held in the country for ten months.

Griner wrote a lengthy Instagram post on Friday regarding her return to the United States and her future intentions.

“It’s wonderful to be back home! Every step of the way over the previous ten months has been a challenge, “She penned a letter. “I had to dig deep to preserve my faith, and the love of so many of you kept me going. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone for your assistance.”

Her post contained pictures of her getting off the plane and hugging her wife, Cherelle.

Griner, a WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury center, has stated her intention to return to the team this season.

She was in Russia during the WNBA offseason to play in the country’s basketball league when she was held at an airport in February. She then pled guilty to charges related to the discovery of cannabis-derived oil cartridges in her luggage. Griner said she had no intention of bringing the cartridges with her when she visited the nation, yet she was sentenced to nine years in prison.

She was released last week in a one-for-one prisoner swap for renowned international arms dealer Viktor Bout, bringing an end to an ordeal that spurred high-level negotiations between Washington and Moscow to win her release.

In an Instagram post, Griner praised her wife, family, lawyers, the WNBA and its players, the Biden-Harris administration, and the people and groups who helped advocate for her safe return from Russia.

President Biden signed a commutation order for Bout, shortening his 25-year federal prison sentence, to ensure Griner’s release. The trade, which took place in the United Arab Emirates, was originally reported by CBS News.

Griner commended Mr. Biden on Friday for getting her home and his commitment to returning Paul Whelan and other Americans jailed overseas home. She vowed to utilize her celebrity to help in that endeavor.

“I will use my platform to assist you in every way possible. I also encourage everyone who helped bring me home to continue working to bring all Americans home. Every family has the right to be whole, “Griner put pen to paper.

Whelan, a Marine veteran, has been jailed in Russia since 2018, and Russia has refused to include him in the trade with Griner.

Griner was escorted to San Antonio by medics when she initially returned to the United States, and she thanked them in her statement.

“As I return home to spend the holidays with my family, I’d like to recognize and thank the whole PISA staff and medical team at the Fort Sam Houston Base in San Antonio. I appreciate you taking the time and effort to ensure that I was safe and well-equipped for my new adventure, “She stated.

“I also want to make one thing very clear: I intend to play basketball for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury this season, and in doing so, I look forward to being able to say ‘thank you’ to all of you who advocated, wrote, and posted for me in person soon,” Griner ended.

The WNBA star has already resumed her basketball career. According to ESPN, she played basketball at Fort Sam in Houston just a few days after her return, and her first move was a slam.

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