Brittney Griner Celebrates Birth of Son—And Dreams of Olympic Gold

Professional basketball player Brittney Griner opened up in an interview published on Monday about the recent birth of her son and her hopes to win Olympic gold at the 2024 Summer Olympic Games.

In February 2022, Griner was arrested in Russia for having less than a gram of medically prescribed THC, which is not legal in Russia. She was sentenced to nine years in prison in August 2022 and was sent to one of the harshest penal colonies in Russia.

However, ten months later, U.S. officials arranged a trade for her release in December 2022.

Griner, who plays for the WNBA on the Phoenix Mercury, is now suiting up for the U.S. in the Paris Games, marking her first time playing overseas since her return from Russia.

As athletes gear up to head to the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris, which take place on July 26 through August 11, Griner discussed how it feels to be wearing her No. 15 USA jersey.

"It means everything to me honestly," Griner said in an interview with the Associated Press (AP). "For me to now have the honor to wear it again and potentially win gold is icing on the cake for everything."

Newsweek has reached out to U.S.A. Basketball via email for comment.

Griner, already a two-time Olympic gold medalist, and the U.S. women's basketball team is aiming to win their eighth straight Olympic gold medal.

"Hopefully, everything goes the way we want it to go and that anthem's playing," Griner said. "It's going to be way more emotional this time."

Meanwhile, the Olympic games comes at a significant time in Griner's personal life as her wife, Cherelle, gave birth to their son, Bash, on July 8. Griner told the AP that parting from her newborn son was tough, but she cherished the moments that were captured in photos before leaving for the games.

"We got some really cool photos before I left. He doesn't know anything right now, but one day it will be cool for him to have that footage," Griner said.

Griner, who previously used to supplement her WNBA income by playing in Russia and China, has since decided to play exclusively in the U.S. unless asked by USA Basketball. However, she told the AP that she feels a sense of safety and protection with the U.S team.

"It's different, we are so protected by the staff around us," she said. "It's different, it's way different. The level of comfortability and security we have right now makes it a lot easier."

In May, Griner went into detail about her experience of being detained in a Russian prison during an appearance on The View. She revealed that she thought of ending her life when she was in captivity, but her family kept her going.

"I was at a really low moment," Griner said to The View hosts at the time. "It was, I feel like, honestly the dirtiest I've ever felt. And I was just thinking, if I did do this, would they even release my body to my family? Would they hold on to me? I was already going through a lot, my family was going through a lot, and that thought right there kept me from doing that."

Griner has since had the support of not only her family, but her Olympics basketball family, and Team U.S.A. coach Cheryl Reeve expressed collective joy and relief over Griner's return.

"That is something when you think about it. Think outside the Olympics, someone's personal experience and what she went through and still continues to go through," Reeve told the AP. "I'm thrilled for her personally and thrilled for our basketball team."

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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.