Britney Griner is a top player in women’s professional basketball. Besides being a seven-time all-star in the WNBA, she won two Olympic gold medals with the U.S. team. She is the only NCAA basketball player to both score 2,000 points and block 500 shots. And she currently plays for the Phoenix Mercury which holds the 2021 WNBA championship.
News of her arrest did not go public until after the invasion of Ukraine. Without identifying her, the Russian Customs Service announced a player was detained in February.
A criminal case has been opened against Griner, who faces a possible sentence of five to 10 years in prison if found guilty, the customs service said.
