Houston native Brittney Griner, a WNBA star, released from Russian custody in prisoner swap

President Joe Biden announced on Thursday morning that Houston native and American basketball star Brittney Griner had been exchanged for prisoners and released from Russian detention. She's secure. She's in the air. In a tweet announcing the release, Biden stated that the woman was "on her way home." According to Mayor Sylvester Turner, Houston City Hall will be decorated in red, white, and blue on Thursday night.

Biden stated that he spoke with Griner on the phone and that she is "in good spirits" during a press conference on Thursday morning.

She is relieved to be returning home, but the truth remains that she has wasted months of her life and undergone unnecessary trauma. She handled abuse and a mock trial in Russia with her trademark tenacity and amazing dignity.

In February, Griner was detained in a Moscow airport after officials found cannabis oil and vape cartridges in her luggage. She was found guilty of importing illegal substances into Russia and given a nine-year prison sentence. Griner pleaded guilty to the charges in September and apologized for the incident, calling it a "honest mistake," to which the White House referred as a "sham."

From 2009 through 2013, Griner was a standout player for the Baylor University Lady Bears basketball team. Since being drafted in 2013, she has competed for the Phoenix Mercury. During the offseasons, she has also played basketball in China and Russia.

According to CBS News, her release was arranged in exchange for the freedom of Russian arms trader Viktor Bout, also known as "the Merchant of Death."

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