Brittney Griner was released by Russia on December 8 after ten months in captivity. Even though there have been rumors about a potential prisoner swap deal between the U.S. and Russia, her release was a surprise for many of her friends, teammates, and fans. News about Griner’s release was everywhere early in the morning and her supporters could not believe she is finally back home. After the release, there were questions about her future in basketball.

A few days later, Griner released her first public statement where she revealed she will play for the Phoenix Mercury in the upcoming season. The announcement shattered the internet as her fans were hoping she would return to playing basketball. On the other hand, an official from the Phoenix Mercury already revealed the stance of the club.

Phoenix Mercury president on Brittney Griner

As the news of the release of Brittney Griner broke early in the morning, Phoenix Mercury president Vince Kozar was woken up by calls from Diana Taurasi who wanted to inform him about Griner’s release. As per reports from ESPN, Kozar cried after hearing the news. He stated that her release was a huge relief for him. However, he admitted he still could not believe it had finally happened. Kozar then expressed he had doubts about seeing her ever again.

The Mercury President then talked about Griner’s future. “We’re not thinking about basketball,” he said. “Our main concern is her, and — as I’ve told people before — if she never plays another game of basketball, another minute of WNBA basketball again, we will still love her and care for her all the same, and nothing about how we feel about her or what she means to us, or this city or her family or any of that will change.”

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The stance of the team was clear before Griner made any announcement about her future. The Mercury and the WNBA rallied for the 2014 WNBA champion’s release ever since her arrest in February. The team tried to take Griner’s situation to the masses to garner more support. When she was finally released, everyone who supported her had a huge sigh of relief.

A surprise visit?

Brittney Griner was taken to a military base in San Antonio after her release. Griner and her spouse Cherelle stayed at the base for a few days. After evaluations at the medical center, it was revealed Griner was doing well.

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During their stay, Diana Taurasi, Vince Kozar, and Mercury General Manager Jim Pitman made a surprise visit. Mercury’s social media handle shared the photos of their visit and it warmed the hearts of the fans.

Are you excited about Brittney Griner’s return to the basketball court? Let us know in the comments.