Current:Home > InvestBrittney Griner is working on a memoir about her captivity in Russia-Angel Dreamer Wealth Society D1 Reviews & Insights
Brittney Griner is working on a memoir about her captivity in Russia
View Date:2025-01-13 04:39:56
NEW YORK — Saying she is ready to share the "unfathomable" experience of being arrested and incarcerated in Russia, basketball star Brittney Griner is working on a memoir that is scheduled for spring 2024.
Griner was arrested last year at the airport in Moscow on drug-related charges and detained for nearly 10 months, much of that time in prison. Her plight unfolded at the same time Russia invaded Ukraine and further heightened tensions between Russia and the U.S., ending only after she was freed in exchange for the notorious Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.
A WNBA All-Star with the Phoenix Mercury, Griner had flown to Moscow in February 2022 to rejoin UMMC Ekaterinburg, a Russian women's team she has played for in the off-season since 2014.
"That day (in February) was the beginning of an unfathomable period in my life which only now am I ready to share," Griner said in a statement released Tuesday by Alfred A. Knopf.
"The primary reason I traveled back to Russia for work that day was because I wanted to make my wife, family, and teammates proud. After an incredibly challenging 10 months in detainment, I am grateful to have been rescued and to be home. Readers will hear my story and understand why I'm so thankful for the outpouring of support from people across the world."
Griner says she hopes her book raises awareness for other detainees
Griner added that she also hoped her book would raise awareness of other Americans detained overseas, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, arrested in Russia last month and accused of espionage; businessman Kai Li, serving a 10-year sentence in China on charges of revealing state secrets to the FBI; and Paul Whelan, a corporate security executive imprisoned in Russia on spying charges. Around the time Griner was released, Whelan criticized the U.S. government for not doing enough to help him.
Russia has been a popular playing destination for top WNBA athletes in the offseason, with some earning salaries over $1 million — nearly quadruple what they can make as a base WNBA salary. Despite pleading guilty to possessing canisters with cannabis oil, a result of what she said was hasty packing, Griner still faced trial under Russian law.
Griner's memoir is currently untitled and will eventually be published in a young adult edition. Financial terms were not disclosed.
In Tuesday's press statement, Knopf said that the book would be "intimate and moving" and that Griner would disclose "in vivid detail her harrowing experience of her wrongful detainment (as classified by the State Department) and the difficulty of navigating the byzantine Russian legal system in a language she did not speak."
"Griner also describes her stark and surreal time living in a foreign prison and the terrifying aspects of day-to-day life in a women's penal colony," the announcement reads. "At the heart of the book, Griner highlights the personal turmoil she experienced during the near ten-month ordeal and the resilience that carried her through to the day of her return to the United States last December."
Griner, 32, is a 6-foot-9 two-time Olympic gold medalist, three-time All-American at Baylor University, a prominent advocate for pay equity for women athletes and the first openly gay athlete to reach an endorsement deal with Nike. She is the author of one previous book, "In My Skin: My Life On and Off the Basketball Court," published in 2014.
In February, she re-signed with the Mercury and will play in its upcoming season, which runs from May through September.
veryGood! (5)
Related
- Ryan Reynolds Makes Dream Come True for 9-Year-Old Fan Battling Cancer
- Florida man arrested after allegedly making death threats against Biden
- Chanel West Coast Reveals Why She Really Left Ridiculousness
- Thailand officials say poisoning possible as 6 found dead in Bangkok hotel, including Vietnamese Americans
- Tesla Cybertruck modifications upgrade EV to a sci-fi police vehicle
- Mike Tyson set to resume preparations for Jake Paul fight after layoff for ulcer flareup
- Justin Long Admits He S--t the Bed Next to Wife Kate Bosworth in TMI Confession
- Chicago Sky trade Marina Mabrey to Connecticut Sun for two players, draft picks
- Conviction and 7-year sentence for Alex Murdaugh’s banker overturned in appeal of juror’s dismissal
- Kourtney Kardashian Reveals When She’ll Stop Breastfeeding Baby Rocky
Ranking
- Bohannan requests a recount in Iowa’s close congressional race as GOP wins control of House
- Do You Qualify for Spousal Social Security Benefits? 3 Things to Know Before Applying
- Last Chance for Amazon Prime Day 2024 Deals: Top Finds Under $25 on Beauty, Home, Travel, Kids & More
- Oregon authorities recover body of award-winning chef who drowned in river accident
- Chris Evans Shares Thoughts on Starting a Family With Wife Alba Baptista
- Fireball streaking across sky at 38,000 mph caused loud boom that shook NY, NJ, NASA says
- Triple decapitation: Man accused of killing parents, family dog in California
- A tale of triumphs from coast to coast: American medalists of the 1984 Olympics
Recommendation
-
NFL coaches diversity report 2024: Gains at head coach, setbacks at offensive coordinator
-
Still in the Mood to Shop? Here Are the Best After Prime Day Deals You Can Still Snag
-
House Republicans ramp up investigations into Trump assassination attempt
-
Olivia Wilde Shares Rare Photo of Her and Jason Sudeikis’ 7-Year-Old Daughter Daisy
-
Florida Man Arrested for Cold Case Double Murder Almost 50 Years Later
-
Raymond Patterson Bio
-
Video shows bear walk up to front door of Florida home: Watch
-
Pedro Hill: What is cryptocurrency