Brittney Griner finally met President Joe Biden after he helped to free her from a Russian prison last year.
The two came face to face for the first time on Saturday after a months-long effort last year to free her after she was arrested for a minor cannabis offense. Officials claim the WNBA star was carrying a vaping object with cannabis oil in the cartridge. She was subsequently sentenced to nine years in a work prison, a judgment that sparked international outrage. In a controversial move, the United States swapped arms dealer Viktor Bout, who was in an American prison, for Griner. She returned to U.S. soil in December 2022.
Griner, along with her wife Cherelle, were invited to the White House Correspondents’ Dinner as special guests of CBS and Gayle King. There, the Phoenix Mercury forward was able to thank the president and the First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden, for their tireless efforts to bring her home. Griner shared several images from her time in the White House and spoke with reporters immediately after meeting Biden.
“It was emotional, that’s for sure. I’ll say that. It was emotional for both of us. It was especially for me,” she shared.
In the early stages of her incarceration, Cherelle slammed the Biden administration for failing to act sooner to free Griner. However, the White House maintained throughout the ordeal that it was doing everything possible to bring the 32-year-old home. Initial reports claimed that Russia was not cooperative with the prisoner swap before eventually coming around to the idea.
In a recent interview, Griner said she’d never play overseas again despite the pay gap that usually forces women’s players to continue their careers in other countries. Griner confirmed the only way she’d play in another country is if she’s on the Olympic team representing the U.S. In the meantime, she is set to make her return to the court in Phoenix and work on a memoir highlighting her time behind bars. From the looks of it, Griner won’t need to play overseas again.
