Brittney Griner Says She Will Play In WNBA This Season After Returning Home From Russia

In Brittney Griner’s first statement since being freed from a Russian prison through a prisoner swap, the basketball star called for the release of Paul Whelan, who is also detained in the country, and said she intends to play in the WNBA this season so she can “say ‘thank you’ to those of you who advocated, wrote, and posted for me in person.”

Griner shared the statement on Instagram on Friday along with photos of her getting off a plane and reuniting with her wife, Cherelle Griner, which was also sent out by her publicity team.

Griner, who plays for the Phoenix Mercury, thanked her family, her agent, the WNBA, her legal teams, activists and the Biden administration who helped get her home safely.

She pledged to use her platform “to do whatever I can” to help President Joe Biden bring Whelan and other Americans home.