Brittney Griner wrote heartbreaking letter from Russian prison

Jul 29, 2024; Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France; United States center Brittney Griner (15) runs up-court during the first quarter against Japan during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Stade Pierre-Mauroy. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Back in February of 2022, WNBA superstar Brittney Griner faced a harrowing experience after she was arrested in Russia. As she continues to share about her experience, she recently opened up about a “hard” letter that she had to write to her wife.

Griner was arrested and eventually imprisoned in a Russian penal colony after authorities found a small amount of prescription hash oil in her luggage – an illegal substance in Russia. Griner was initially sentenced to nine years in a Russian penal colony, but she was released in December through a prisoner exchange involving Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.

Since returning to the United States, Griner has returned to the court. She currently plays for the Connecticut Sun, where she is preparing for the upcoming 2026 WNBA season. While she has moved back into her career, Griner has continued to share about her experience in Russia, and she recently opened up about a heartbreaking letter she was forced to write while imprisoned.

During a recent interview with WHYY, Griner opened up about a letter that she wrote to her wife, Cherelle, shortly after she had been detained in Russia. In the heartbreaking letter, Griner told her wife that she could move on if necessary, indicating that the WNBA star was not confident she would ever be able to return to the United States.

Griner admitted that the letter was “hard” to write, but she felt that it was necessary, given the circumstances.

“I was still at the detention center when I wrote this one,” Griner said during the interview. “It was a hard letter to write. It’s just like that’s a long time. It’s already a long time for someone to do it in the States, but you can visit them occasionally. You could never visit me [in Russia]. I wanted her to promise me that she’d still be my friend, that she’d still write to me.”

Obviously, that was not ultimately necessary, as Griner’s freedom was secured after 10 months in custody. However, if it were not for the prisoner swap that secured her freedom and brought her back to the United States, Griner would not even be halfway through her nine-year prison sentence.