Brittney Griner's detention in Russia weighed heavily on WNBA's Mercury as season ends

A cloud of fear and sadness hovered over the Phoenix Mercury's season as Brittney Griner, their friend and teammate, sat in a Russian prison.

The Mercury pressed on, tried to focus on basketball when they could, "BG" always on their mind.

The difficulties kept coming like a series of blows to the body and soul.

Hard to imagine a more difficult season in any sport anywhere.

"This season, I don't think there's a sports team that has endured everything that we endured as the Phoenix Mercury, and it's been completely exhausting," Mercury guard Sophie Cunningham said.

The woes began during the off-season.

Many WNBA players supplement their income by playing on lucrative overseas contracts. Griner had played in Russia since 2014 and was headed back during a break for the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup qualifying tournaments in February.

Griner didn't get past the Moscow airport. She was arrested after Russian authorities said a search of her luggage revealed vape canisters containing cannabis oil and she faced a 10-year prison sentence in what became a politically charged case.

WATCH | American basketball star Brittney Griner sentenced to 9 years in prison:

Griner pleaded guilty to drug possession charges and was sentenced this month to nine years in prison. It was an expected outcome given the Russian court system — acquittals account for less than 1% of cases in criminal prosecutions — but the news hit the Mercury and rest of the WNBA hard.

Griner's lawyers have appealed and U.S. officials are hoping to work out a prisoner swap to bring her home.

Griner's detention not only left the Mercury without one of the most dominating defensive players in WNBA history, it left them emotionally drained with each little bit of news —