WNBA star Brittney Griner is coming home. It is news many Americans have been waiting 294 days to hear.
President Joe Biden announced Thursday Griner was released from a Russian penal colony as part of a prisoner swap involving a convicted Russian arms dealer.
"Brittney will be back in the arms of her loved ones," Biden said.
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The calls to find a way to bring Griner home have been growing for months after she was sentenced to nine years in Russian prison. Police arrested her after they found vape canisters containing cannabis oil in her luggage at Moscow's airport. Griner had said the items were medically prescribed and packed accidentally.
The United States said Griner was "wrongfully detained."
Nearly everyone in the sports world joined in calling for Griner to be released.
In the Bay Area, the Stanford Women's Basketball team joined others in playing with a "BG" patch on their jerseys. The team on Thursday said it was thrilled to learn Griner is coming home.
Sue Phillips, a longtime girls basketball coach at Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose, remembers running into Griner in 2018.
Phillips, who also coaches the USA Basketball under 17 team, took Mitty in a 2018 Arizona tournament when the squad saw Griner at an IHOP restaurant. Phillips coached Danielle Robinsons, one of Griner's teammates on the Phoenix Mercury, and struck up a conversation.
"Our kids were over the moon. She was so gracious. She came over and took a picture, exchanged some pleasantries," Phillips said. "So then we finish our meal and when we're getting ready to pay for our meal, lo and behold our meal is covered. Our hostess let us know that Brittney Griner paid our meal."
The Golden State Warriors on Thursday also tweeted out a video welcoming Griner back home.
"We are so thrilled for you and your family," Warriors Coach Steve Kerr said. "We can't imagine what you've been through."
