Brittney Griner Shares Harrowing Details of Russian Prison Experience in New Book

WNBA star Brittney Griner is shedding light on her daunting time in Russian custody in her forthcoming book, ‘Coming Home,’ set to release this week.

In her first cable interview since her return, Griner spoke with MSNBC’s Joy Reid about the challenges she faced during her incarceration. In a revealing moment from the interview, Reid probed Griner about her thoughts while being taken to prison. “Did you think, ‘I, Brittney Griner, am being taken to jail,’ or did you think about the implications of being a Black queer woman in a foreign country?” Reid asked.

Griner recounted her fears, “I was terrified thinking about what kind of games they would play with me.” She described a chilling instance where guards attempted to coerce her into entering a men’s cell, a maneuver she immediately resisted. “I’m not going in that cell,” she asserted, until they finally directed her to the women’s section, confirming her suspicions that it was all a manipulative game.

This conversation marks Griner’s first extensive interview since her release and return to the U.S. in December 2022. Griner’s ordeal began when she was arrested in February 2022 at a Moscow airport after vape cartridges were found in her luggage. Following a controversial trial, she was sentenced to nine years but served 10 months, part of it in a penal colony, before being exchanged for Viktor Bout, a convicted arms dealer.

Brittney Griner’s two-part interview is scheduled to air on MSNBC on May 6 and May 7 at 7 p.m. ET. The interview includes more insights from her harrowing experience and details about her book, which is available for pre-order now.