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Brittney Griner returns to WNBA All-Star Game after Russia prison release

Posted : 26 June 2023
Brittney Griner, an American basketball player, has been chosen as a starter for the WNBA All-Star Game, marking an impressive return to the sport just six months after being released from prison in Russia.
 
Griner, aged 32, spent ten months in Russian custody after being found in possession of cannabis oil. In December, she was involved in a highly publicized prisoner exchange that secured her release.
 
In the current WNBA season, Griner has played nine games for the Phoenix Mercury, as she had missed the entire 2022 season. The All-Star Game is scheduled to take place on July 15 in Las Vegas.
 
Griner was playing in the Russian Premier League when she was arrested at a Moscow airport in February 2022. Following her guilty plea, she was sentenced to nine years in prison and sent to a penal colony. However, her release was secured through a deal struck between the US and Russia, with notorious Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout being exchanged in return.
 
This will be the ninth time that Griner has been selected as an All-Star player. Last year, she received the honor of being named an honorary player by WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert.
 
Making her competitive comeback in May, Griner returned to the court as the Mercury faced a 94-71 loss against the Los Angeles Sparks. Prior to the game, she received a warm greeting from Vice President Kamala Harris.
 
Despite missing three games due to a hip injury, Griner currently leads the WNBA in average blocks per game this season, with an impressive average of 2.4 blocks.
 
The Phoenix Mercury currently find themselves at the bottom of the standings, having won only two out of their 12 fixtures. As a result, head coach Vanessa Nygaard was dismissed on Sunday, and assistant coach Nikki Blue has been appointed as the interim coach for the remainder of the season.

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