WNBA star Brittney Griner released from Russian custody in exchange for Viktor Bout: U.S. official
The Hindu
Griner was detained at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport on Feb. 17 with vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage
U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner has been released in a prisoner swap with Russia and is now in U.S. custody, a U.S. official said on Thursday.
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris spoke by phone with Griner, the official said, adding that she was in good spirits.
President Biden is to make remarks at 8:30 a.m. (1330 GMT), the White House said.
The swap involved former arms dealer Viktor Bout, CNN reported.
Brittney Griner is a double Olympic champion and seven-time All-Star player in the U.S. Women's National Basketball Association (WBNA).
Standing 206 cm (6 feet 9 inches) tall, the high-scoring Texan center was selected first overall by the Phoenix Mercury in the 2013 WBNA draft.
Known as "BG" to basketball fans, she has played for UMMC Ekaterinburg in Russia during the WNBA winter off-season since 2014. The club has drawn other top U.S. basketball players including Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi and Candace Parker.
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