Brittney Griner - Done playing overseas, want to help detained Americans - ESPN

PHOENIX — Brittney Griner will not play overseas again unless it is with the U.S. national team, she said Thursday in her first news conference since being released in December following a 10-month detainment in Russia.

Griner also spoke of her concern for other Americans who are being detained internationally, what helped her get through her imprisonment and her belief in her ability to return to an elite level in the WNBA. The Phoenix Mercury center smiled frequently, laughed, shed some tears and spoke passionately at Footprint Center, her home arena since she was drafted No. 1 overall in 2013.

«I'm no stranger to hard times,» Griner said about the resilience that she needed during her detainment. «You're gonna be faced with adversities throughout your life, and this was a pretty big one. But I just kind of relied on my hard work. Getting through it. You find a way to just grind it out.»

Griner's wife Cherelle, Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs and Mercury coach Vanessa Nygaard were among those in attendance Thursday. Griner asked for a round of applause for Cherelle and then thanked many people, including her family, President Joe Biden and his administration, the Mercury organization, the WNBA and fans who worked for her freedom and helped her remember she wasn't alone.

«When I did lose my hope, looking at photos of my family brought my hope back,» Griner said. «You're waiting to be back with your family, your loved ones, in a safe place.»

Griner did not go into the specifics of being imprisoned in Russia from February to December 2022 but did address what it was like to be back with the Mercury and her goals for the upcoming WNBA season despite the physical challenges after being away from basketball for so long.

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