WNBA star Brittney Griner has experienced something that few people have – and she wants to tell the world about it.
The Phoenix Mercury center was imprisoned in Russia for nearly 10 months on drug charges while visiting the country.
Griner was set to face an intense nine-year sentence in Russia before she was returned to her family in the United States earlier this year as a result of a prisoner swap between the two nations.
Now Griner is set to release a memoir about her experience of serving time in Russia.
Griner said that she hopes the book will “raise awareness about other Americans who are wrongfully imprisoned abroad,” according to Bleacher Report.
Brittney Griner is writing a book about her experience of being wrongfully detained in Russia.
She hopes to raise awareness about other Americans who are wrongfully imprisoned abroad. pic.twitter.com/pqyuKF0MsU
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 11, 2023
Griner is a hot topic among basketball fans and Twitter lit up with news of her upcoming book.
Much of the responses revolved around her breaking the law in Russia by carrying drugs.
Many people felt that her term in a Russian prison was justified although there were some who were more nuanced in their opinions.
“She was not wrongfully imprisoned based on Russian laws. She was given a high sentence likely because of her status, ”one user said.
She was not wrongfully imprisoned based on Russian laws. She was given a high sentence likely because of her status.
– Commodore Mainz (@EnLaCara10_7) April 11, 2023
“happy she’s free, but i wouldn’t say it was ‘wrongfully’,” another user said.
happy she’s free, but i wouldn’t say it was “wrongfully”
— SAGE (@MasterSage_) April 11, 2023
There were some on Twitter who weren’t just excited about the memoir but also any movie adaptation that could come from it.
“Movie please. Thank you. – Everyone,” one eager fan said.
Movie please. Thank you.
–Everyone
— CMorpheusAlphonsoBelweather (@CMoGoodie760) April 11, 2023
And others were thinking about the inevitable publicity tour Griner will go on to promote her work.
Gone be wild seeing her on the tonight show ngl
— 🐉avinci♨️44-38 (@NewAgeOutlaw33) April 11, 2023
Griner is an eight-time WNBA All-Star and one of the best and most well-known stars in her league.
Yet, even if she was just an anonymous person, her time spent in the Russian prison would be fascinating and worth telling.
Her memoir is set to hit stores in 2024.
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