“Truly an Honor”- Megan Rapinoe Offers Support to Brittney Griner Amid Reflections on Russia Arrest Experience

At 33, Brittney Griner has seen highs and unfathomable lows in her career. The 2-time Olympic Gold medalist had it all and was on course to become one of the greatest ever in her sport. However, her career saw a shocking halt after missing the entire 2022 season after getting arrested on smuggling charges. Following this, she spent close to a year in a Russian prison before being released in a prisoner swap. In the latest edition of The Cut Magazine, the 6 foot 8 star opened up to USWNT icon Megan Rapinoe on her harrowing experience. And Rapinoe seems grateful for the opportunity.

On Instagram, Brittney Griner thanked Megan Rapinoe and the Cut for sharing her story. According to the WNBA ace, the whole prison experience taught her the value of time. Griner wants her story to serve as an inspiration for people looking to live through life’s greatest challenges. One person who definitely seemed inspired was Rapinoe. She took to Instagram and shared the story along with the caption, “Truly an Honor.” Yet, this is not the first time Rapinoe vouched for the Phoenix Mercury star.

The Megan Rapinoe-Brittney Griner connection

In 2022, LeBron James was amongst the first high-profile athletes to publicly request the US government to rescue Griner from Russia. Soon after, Megan Rapinoe extended her support as well. In fact, she had a phone call with President Joe Biden. The subject of the call was regarding the NWSL icon receiving her Presidential Medal of Freedom. Yet, in a selfless act, the USWNT star requested Biden to “do more” regarding the situation of Griner.

While the White House did not make any public comments on the same, a source with inside info on the call divulged more info. This person revealed that the president had assured Megan Rapinoe that the National Security team was exploring every opportunity to secure Griner’s quick release. Remarkably, the OL Reign star didn’t stop her efforts there.

The Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) released a post regarding Griner’s release. The post read, “Words cannot express how much we miss you and we will not stop advocating until you’re home.” Rapinoe quickly took to Instagram to share the post via her stories. Notably, amidst all of this, Rapinoe was facing her own challenges. She was at the final phase of her career and hung up her boots a few months later. Yet, in spite of having to plan her future endeavors, the soccer star did not miss the opportunity to raise her voice for a fellow athlete.