On Friday, American basketball player Brittney Griner played her first match after returning to her native country. Griner scored 10 points and grabbed 3 rebounds for his team Phoenix Mercury in a preseason game against the Los Angeles Sparks. transmits CN.
The appearance on the court of a basketball player who spent 10 months in prison in Russia was greeted with anger by fans. According to CNN, Brittney’s teammates joined in the applause from fans, while Greiner herself saluted each of Phoenix’s basketball players.
From a sporting point of view, the return of the 32-year-old Greiner, however, has not been very successful. His team lost in an exhibition game to the Los Angeles Sparks with a score of 71:90. Brittney spent 17 minutes on the ground.
“I’m very happy to be back in the game and I’ll never forget this day,” Brittney Griner told reporters after the game. She also added that the US national anthem felt special to her this Friday. “Hearing the anthem again on the pitch was a very emotional moment.
It’s one thing – when you go to the Olympics, win there and expect to be about to put a gold medal around your neck. And it’s completely different now.
Honestly, I did not expect to be able to return to basketball so quickly, ”confessed the basketball player.
Brittney Greiner, who played in Russia for UMMC Yekaterinburg, was arrested at Sheremetyevo airport in February 2022 for attempting to illegally transport drugs. Customs officers found a vape containing marijuana oil in his luggage. In August, the court in Khimki sentenced the double Olympic champion in the American team to nine years in prison and a fine of 1 million rubles. On December 8, 2022, Greiner was released following an exchange with a Russian convicted in the United States, Viktor Bout.
Brittney Griner’s first official Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) championship game is set to take place on May 19, when her “Phoenix” will still meet the “Los Angeles Sparks” in California.
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