By John Marshall
Brittney Griner got emotional quickly.
Speaking to reporters for the first time since a nearly 10-month detainment in Russia on drug-related charges, the WNBA star had to take a moment to compose herself after being asked about her resiliency through the ordeal.
“I'm no stranger to hard times,” Griner said Thursday from the lobby of the Footprint Center, home of the Phoenix Mercury and the NBA’s Phoenix Suns. “Just digging deep. You're going to be faced with adversities in life. This was a pretty big one. I just relied on my hard work to get through it.”
Griner's first news conference drew more than 100 people, including Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs, members of the Mercury organization and her wife, Cherelle.
Griner was arrested in February 2022 at a Moscow airport after Russian authorities said a search of her luggage revealed vape cartridges containing cannabis oil. She later pleaded guilty and was sentenced to nine years in prison.
After nearly 10 months of strained negotiations between Washington and Moscow, Griner was exchanged in the United Arab Emirates for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout on Dec. 8.
Griner kept a low profile following her return to the U.S. while adjusting to life back at home, outside of appearances at the Super Bowl, the PGA Tour's Phoenix Open and an MLK Day event in Phoenix.
Shoes off and dropped near the visitor’s dugout in San Francisco, Christian Walker begins his barefoot stroll through the perfectly manicured grass and makes his way into right field, where he plops down for a much-needed dose of Vitamin D on a sunny, summer Bay Area day. It's a welcome chance for a good stretch and fresh air following a cross-country flight from Washington.
PGA Tour leaders defended its merger deal with Saudi Arabia's LIV Golf tour before a Homeland Security subcommittee on Tuesday.
Olympic Champion Caster Semenya Wins Human Rights Case but Testosterone Rules May Remain for Years
Pro surfer Mikala Jones has died at 44 in a freak accident.
Pro surfer Mikala Jones died at the age of 44 after an accident while surfing in Indonesia.
Northwestern University fired its head football coach Pat Fitzgerald over allegations of hazing. Fitzgerald said he was "disappointed" to learn of the allegations.
A new pickleball venue has just opened up in Connecticut in a most unlikely location: a former department store. Here's an inside look.
Northwestern fired coach Pat Fitzgerald on Monday amid a hazing scandal that called into question his leadership of the program and damaged the university's reputation after it mishandled its response to the allegations.
The New York Times is disbanding its sports department and will rely on coverage from The Athletic, a website it acquired last year for $550 million.
“Ladies and gentlemen, please, if you are opening a bottle of Champagne don’t do it as the player is about to serve. Thank you,” Australian umpire John Blom announced just after the start of a match on No. 3 Court.
Load More