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WNBA icon Brittney Griner, previously detained in Russia for 10 months, expressed immense joy following the release of Americans Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan from Russian custody via a prisoner exchange. “Great day,” Griner remarked from Paris, where she is currently competing with the U.S.
Women’s Basketball Team at the Olympics. “I’m overjoyed for their families.
It’s always a victory when Americans return home.”
Griner, speaking after a victory over Belgium that pushed the U.S. team into the quarterfinals of the Olympics, shared how moved she was on hearing the news of their release, noting it was deeply emotional and indicative of a significant triumph.
She commended the support systems in place for helping reintegrate returnees and their families, drawing from her own experiences in readjusting to everyday life after her ordeal. Via an Instagram post, Brittney and her wife Cherelle lauded the Biden-Harris administration for their dedication to bringing Americans home, emphasizing that every returned citizen represents a victory.
The Griners also drew attention to other Americans still detained overseas and urged ongoing efforts to spotlight and aid these individuals.
Brittney Griner had been detained at Sheremetyevo International Airport in February 2022, when authorities found vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage—illegal under Russian law. Although she pled guilty to the charges, stating the inclusion was accidental, it wasn’t until December 2022 that a swap agreement involving Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout facilitated her release.
In an interview earlier with “Good Morning America,” Griner recounted her disappointment when Whelan wasn’t on the plane during her release, sharing her frustration and desire to bring him home as well. Since her return, Griner has advocated for Americans wrongfully detained abroad.
Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine, had been imprisoned since 2018 on disputed espionage charges and was sentenced in 2020 to a 16-year term.
Gershkovich, detained in 2023, faced similar accusations, which U.S. officials, including President Biden, have categorically denied. Like Whelan, he received a 16-year sentence following a swift and private trial.
Their release, alongside two others also considered unjustly held, was confirmed by President Biden as part of the recent diplomatic exchange with Russia.