Brittney Griner said she害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所済rateful害羞草研究所� to be back in the United States and plans on playing basketball again next season for the WNBA害羞草研究所檚 Phoenix Mercury. Her comments came a week after she was released from a Russian prison, freed in a dramatic high-level prisoner exchange.

害羞草研究所淚t feels so good to be home!害羞草研究所� Griner posted to Instagram on Friday in her first public statement since her release. 害羞草研究所淭he last 10 months have been a battle at every turn. I dug deep to keep my faith and it was the love from so many of you that helped keep me going. From the bottom of my heart, thank you to everyone for your help.害羞草研究所�

Griner was arrested in February in Russia on drug-related charges and was later convicted and sentenced to nine years in a Russian jail. After months of strained negotiations, and an extraordinarily rare public revelation by the Biden administration that it had made a 害羞草研究所渟ubstantial proposal害羞草研究所� to bring home Griner and another detained American, Paul Whelan, the case resolved last week with a prisoner swap in which the WNBA star was exchanged in the United Arab Emirates for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.

害羞草研究所淧resident Biden, you brought me home and I know you are committed to bringing Paul Whelan and all Americans home too,害羞草研究所� Griner said. 害羞草研究所淚 will use my platform to do whatever I can to help you. I also encourage everyone that played a part in bringing me home to continue their efforts to bring all Americans home. Every family deserves to be whole.害羞草研究所�

Whelan害羞草研究所檚 brother David said last week in a statement that he was 害羞草研究所渟o glad害羞草研究所� for Griner害羞草研究所檚 release but also disappointed for his family. He credited the White House with giving the Whelan family advance notice and said he did not fault officials for making the deal.

害羞草研究所淭he Biden administration made the right decision to bring Ms. Griner home, and to make the deal that was possible, rather than waiting for one that wasn害羞草研究所檛 going to happen,害羞草研究所� he said.

Griner also thanked the military staff and medical team in Texas, where she was receiving care after returning to the U.S. last week. She wrote that she would 害羞草研究所渢ransition home to enjoy the holidays with my family害羞草研究所� but did not say where.

While WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said she was going to give Griner all the time she needed to decide whether she wanted to play basketball again, Griner made it clear that: 害羞草研究所淚 intend to play basketball for the WNBA害羞草研究所檚 Phoenix Mercury this season, and in doing so, I look forward to being able to say `thank you害羞草研究所� to those of you who advocated, wrote, and posted for me in person soon.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淎mazing timing for her to be home before the holidays,害羞草研究所� Engelbert told the AP in an interview Thursday. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a great story for all who know her.害羞草研究所�

The Mercury open the season on the road against the Los Angeles Sparks on May 19. The team害羞草研究所檚 first home game is two days later against the Chicago Sky.

By Doug Feinberg

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Like us on and follow us on .