Brittney Griner's return to the WNBA will be official Friday. Her appearance with the Phoenix Mercury will mark the first time since Oct. 17, 2021, that the eight-time All-Star has played in the league.
Griner missed the entire 2022 WNBA season after being arrested in Russia in February of that year. Russian officials charged her with drug possession and smuggling, and then held her in detention for 10 months.
The detainment — which the United States termed "wrongful" — was an international topic for the better part of 2022. It also spurred debate about the wages earned by WNBA players: many of them play overseas in the offseason to supplement their income.
Now, basketball should be the only thing on Griner's mind when the Mercury open their regular season against the Los Angeles Sparks.
MORE: Brittney Griner emotional in first remarks since Russian release
Here's everything you need to know about what happened to Griner in Russia, from her arrest to her release:
What happened to Brittney Griner?
Griner was arrested in Russia and detained for most of 2022 after customs officials discovered in February that she had two vape cartridges containing marijuana concentrate hashish oil in her luggage, likely for personal use. Griner was returning to Moscow from Washington after a FIBA World Cup qualifying tournament.
Her trial was delayed to early July. She pleaded guilty to drug charges and was sentenced to nine years in prison. Griner was transported to a penal colony in the Russian republic of Mordovia.
She was released in December as part of a prisoner swap between the U.S. and Russia. In exchange for Griner, Russia received convicted arms dealer Viktor Bout.
Since returning to the United States, Griner made several public appearances discussing her time in Russia. Last February, a year after her arrest, she signed a one-year deal to play with the Mercury for the 2023 WNBA season.
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Why was Brittney Griner arrested?
Griner was arrested at Sheremetyevo International Airport in Russia on Feb. 17, 2022, after customs officials discovered her vape cartridges. According to a report from The Independent, hashish oil is illegal in Russia. Possession of the substance carries a fine or jail sentence of up to 15 days if an individual possesses less than six grams.
A Russian prosecutor accused Griner of possessing seven-tenths of a gram of hash oil, per a report from The Russian News Agency TASS (via the Independent).
The Russian Federal Customs Service did not announce it had detained Griner until March 5, 2022. Griner was charged not only with possession but also drug smuggling — an offense that carries a maximum 10-year sentence in Russia.
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Brittney Griner Russian arrest timeline
Feb. 17, 2022
Russian customs officials discover two vape cartridges, which reportedly have less than a gram of marijuana in them combined. Griner is arrested.
Feb. 24, 2022
Russia invades Ukraine. The ensuing conflict and tensions between Russia and western nations complicates the United States' attempts to get Griner released.
March 5, 2022
The Russian Federal Customs Service announces it has detained Griner. It charged her with drug smuggling and possession.
May 3, 2022
The State Department determines Griner is being "wrongfully detained," a shift in how the U.S. will attempt to get her home. It will try to broker a prisoner swap instead of awaiting the result of her trial.
Early June
The U.S. secretly offers a prisoner swap with Russia: Bout for Griner and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, who faces a 16-year prison sentence in Russia on charges of espionage. The proposal is not reported until July 17.
July 1, 2022
Griner's trial begins after multiple delays. She has been detained in prison since her arrest. The trial is adjourned until July 7.
July 7, 2022
Griner pleads guilty to drug smuggling and possession, saying "there was no intent. I didn’t want to break the law."
Her defense team also issues a statement attempting to get her sentence from Russian judges redued:
She decided to take full responsibility for her actions as she knows that she is a role model for many people. Considering the nature of her case, the insignificant amount of the substance and BG’s personality and history of positive contributions to global and Russian sport, the defense hopes that the plea will be considered by the court as a mitigating factor and there will be no severe sentence.
July 17, 2022
CNN reports the U.S. has offered Bout as part of a prisoner swap involving Griner and Whelan. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announces the U.S. has put together a proposal to bring home Griner and Whelan, but does not mention Bout.
Aug. 4, 2022
Russia sentences Griner to nine years in prison and fines her 1 million Russian rubles (about $16,700 U.S., based on exchange rates at the time). Griner's defense team announces it will appeal the sentence.
Aug. 13, 2022
The Kremlin confirms negotiations are ongoing between the U.S. to secure Griner's release.
Aug. 15, 2022
Griner's defense appeals the sentence, arguing that it is excessive.
Oct. 25, 2022
Russian courts reject the attorneys' appeal via videoconference and upholding the nine-year sentence. U.S. and international officials contend the trial and appeal were illegitimate and that Russia is using Griner as a political tool and bargaining chip at a time when international tensions are high following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Nov. 9, 2022
Moscow announces Griner was transported in early November to an unknown location for her prison sentence. The move occurs significantly sooner than expected. U.S. officials were made aware on Nov. 8 that she had been transported.
Nov. 17, 2022
Russia announces Griner has been transported to Female Penal Colony IK-2 in the town of Yavas in the Mordovia republic, about 300 miles southeast of Moscow.
Dec. 1, 2022
The U.S. and Russia agree to a prisoner swap: Griner for Bout. U.S. President Joe Biden tried unsuccessfully to have Whelan included in the deal, according to reports.
Dec. 8, 2022
Russia releases Griner in exchange for Bout.
"This is a day we've worked toward for a long time," Biden says of Griner's release. "We never stopped pushing for her release. It took painstaking and intense negotiations, and I want to thank all the hardworking public servants across my administration who worked tirelessly to secure her release."
Dec. 9, 2022
Griner lands safely at Kelly Field in San Antonio.
Feb. 21, 2023
Griner signs a one-year, $165,000 contract with the Mercury for the 2023 WNBA season.
Why was Brittney Griner in Russia?
Griner was in Russia playing for UMMC Ekaterinburg of the Russian Women's Basketball Premier League, the top division in the country. There, she made $1 million a season — significantly more than what she makes playing in the WNBA.
The reported average salary among 151 WNBA players in 2022 was $102,751, according to NBC Connecticut. That number jumped significantly in 2023 to $147,745, according to Queen Ballers Club. According to data from Spotrac, 21 WNBA players now make at least $200,000 per year; Griner is not among them.
Her wife, Cherelle Griner, told ABC News in May 2022 that the WNBA star would prefer not to play overseas, but she needed to supplement her income. CBS Sports reported that Griner was one of roughly 70 WNBA players competing internationally in the offseason.
"BG would wholeheartedly love to not go overseas," Cherelle Griner said. "She has only had one Thanksgiving in the States in nine years since she's been pro, and she misses all that stuff. Just because, you know, she can't make enough money in the WNBA, like, to sustain her life."
Griner played overseas every WNBA offseason dating to her rookie season in 2013. She initially played for the Zhejiang Golden Bulls of the Women's Chinese Basketball Association, earning $600,000 on a four-month contract. She played for UMMC Ekaterinburg from 2015-22.
Griner said in late April that she would no longer play overseas — with one exception.
"I'm never playing overseas again," she told reporters in late April. "The only time I would want to would be to represent the USA."