via Getty
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – SEPTEMBER 30: Brittney Griner #42 and Brianna Turner #21 of the Phoenix Mercury talk on the bench in the fourth quarter of Game Two of the 2021 WNBA Playoffs semifinals against the Las Vegas Aces at Michelob ULTRA Arena on September 30, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Mercury defeated the Aces 117-91. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
via Getty
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – SEPTEMBER 30: Brittney Griner #42 and Brianna Turner #21 of the Phoenix Mercury talk on the bench in the fourth quarter of Game Two of the 2021 WNBA Playoffs semifinals against the Las Vegas Aces at Michelob ULTRA Arena on September 30, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Mercury defeated the Aces 117-91. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
US President Joe Biden recently met Cherelle, wife of WNBA star Brittney Griner at the Oval office. During their meeting, Biden reassured her about the country’s efforts to bring her spouse back home. Griner and Cherelle Watson tied the knot in 2018. The two first met each other during their time at Baylor University.
However, they did not date at the time. After their marriage, Cherelle changed her last name to Griner. She has undoubtedly been going through a lot with the detainment and then sentencing of her spouse in Russia over the last few months.
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The towering center was first arrested in February at a Russian airport for carrying vape cartridges with cannabis oil. Cannabis is illegal in Russia and she was charged with the possession of drugs. As soon as she was detained by airport officials, she reached out to Cherelle via text message at 02:00 in the morning. Griner let her spouse know that she was in a room and they might take her phone away.
READ MORE – Scarred by Brittney Griner?s Arrest, WNBA Star Places 3 Conditions Before Russia to Confirm Her Return
And Cherelle asked her to call her back when she can, not knowing the situation. Over the next few court hearings in Russia, Griner pleaded guilty to the charges.
Brittney Griner sends occasional letters to her spouse
Even though Brittney Griner pleaded guilty, she maintained that she did not intend to break the law. And she said she carried the cannabis oil due to hasty packaging. However, a Russian court sentenced her to nine years in prison. Many celebrities showed their outrage about the sentencing. They seemingly felt that the sentencing is too harsh for the charges. After seven months in Russia, it seems nothing has changed so far.
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In the last seven months, Griner has sent some occasional letters to her spouse. Cherelle recently opened up about the whole ordeal and talked about the letters too. She said, “She wrote me one letter and was like, ?Babe, I know you want to go down right now but don?t just yet.? Every day you wake up and the fact that you?re still in that reality, it is a reason for you to lose faith and to not have hope and all of the above. It gives you so much reason to go down. And I won?t go down until she?s back. I just won?t. I can?t.”?
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The Phoenix Mercury star played for UMMC Ekaterinburg in the Russian league during the WNBA off-season. It is one of the most successful clubs in Russian history and has been favored amongst WNBA players in the past for the high salaries they are offered.
The organization is a huge attraction for athletes from around the world. Multiple other WNBA stars have also played for the club. However, after Griner’s arrest, WNBA players decided to boycott the Russian league and look for alternative options to play in the off-season.?
