Brittney Griner re-signs with the Phoenix Mercury, returning to WNBA after release from Russian prison

Basketball prima and two-time Olympic golden medalist Brittney Griner re-signed to the Phoenix Mercury for 1 year, NBC News confirmed.

A connection officially announcing the signing is expected connected Tuesday, according to a root adjacent to Griner.

The jock has played for the Mercury her full WNBA career, which started successful 2013. She missed the afloat 2022 play portion imprisoned successful Russia for astir 10 months, according to WNBA.com.

Griner antecedently said she intended to play successful the 2023 season. This determination puts to furniture immoderate uncertainty astir the team.

Griner was freed from a Russian penal colony in December aft the Biden administration negotiated her merchandise successful speech for arms trader Viktor Bout.

She was arrested successful February 2022 astatine a Moscow airdrome for allegedly arriving successful the state with vape canisters containing cannabis lipid successful her luggage, according to Russian authorities. Griner pleaded blameworthy astatine her proceedings successful July but said she had nary transgression intent. The canisters, which she had been prescribed to dainty chronic pain, were packed inadvertently arsenic she hurriedly prepared for her flight, she said.

In her archetypal comments aft she was freed successful the captive exchange, Griner wrote connected Instagram that being successful Russian custody for astir 10 months was an affectional battle.

"I dug heavy to support my religion and it was the emotion from truthful galore of you that helped support maine going," Griner wrote. "From the bottommost of my heart, convey you to everyone for your help."