WNBA star Brittney Griner said she was "head over heels" for the Americans just released in a massive prisoner swap after years detained in Russia. Griner spoke to reporters from Paris where she is competing in basketball for Team USA at the 2024 Olympic Games.
“Great day. It’s a great day. It’s a great day,” Griner said. “We’ll talk more about it later. But head over heels happy for the families right now. Any day that Americans come home, that’s a win. That’s a win.”
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In February 2022, Griner was detained in Moscow after officials found two vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her backpack. The Russian court gave her a nine-year sentence in a prison where she claims she received spoiled food and had few opportunities to see sunlight. She regained her freedom in December 2022, following a U.S. agreement to exchange her for the Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.
On Thursday, the U.S. women's team beat Belgium 87-74 to secure a place in the quarterfinals at the Paris Games. Griner is a two-time Olympic gold medalist.
