The WNBA player Brittney Griner, who was unlawfully detained in Russia and later released, is penning a memoir that will be published in the spring of 2019.
“After an incredibly challenging 10 months in detainment, I am grateful to have been rescued and to be home.
Griner stated in a press release issued by Alfred A. Knopf on Tuesday.
After being detained in February 2022 and convicted to nine years in prison on drug-smuggling charges after Russian police discovered cannabis oil in her suitcase, the two-time Olympic gold champion spent over 300 days in their detention.
Griner, who the US State Department deemed wrongfully detained, was released last December in a prisoner swap that involved Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.
Griner had for years played on a Russian women’s basketball team during the WNBA off-season and was detained in a Moscow airport as she traveled to rejoin the team.
“That day was the beginning of an unfathomable period in my life which only now am I ready to share,” she said in the news release.
“The primary reason I traveled back to Russia for work that day was because I wanted to make my wife, family, and teammates proud.”
Her detainment spotlighted the salary caps WNBA players face in the US – which has pushed athletes to go overseas to earn more during their off-seasons.
She will make her return to the WNBA next season after signing a one-year deal in February with the Phoenix Mercury.
The book announcement comes after Russian authorities last month detained Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who the US State Department deemed wrongfully detained on Monday. Detained American Paul Whelan has also been held in Russian custody since 2018.
“By writing this book, I also hope to raise awareness surrounding other Americans wrongfully detained abroad,” Griner said