Review - Brittney Griner's Ordeal: From Basketball Glory to a Russian Nightmare

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Brittney Griner's memoir, "Coming Home," opens with a series of text messages that read like a suspenseful short story. “Hey baby I got stopped by security at customs.” “If you don’t hear from me for like one hour or more get my agent on the phone.” “Wake up plz.” “Baby text me plz I’m freaking out.” “Baby.” “Hello.” “This is it for me.” These chilling messages mark the beginning of a harrowing journey for Griner, one of the world's top basketball players, who found herself trapped in Russia's draconian penal system for nine months.

 

On February 17, 2022, Griner was at a Moscow airport, heading to join UMMC Ekaterinburg, the team she played for during the WNBA off-season. Back home in Arizona, it was 2 a.m., and her wife, Relle, was asleep. Security personnel found two near-empty vials of medicinal cannabis oil in Griner’s bag. Her phone and passport were confiscated, and she was coerced into signing a document written in a language she couldn’t understand. After 19 hours in customs, she was led away in handcuffs. “The future,” she writes in her memoir, “was unimaginable.”

 

Just days after her detention, Russia invaded Ukraine, turning Griner's status as an American double Olympic champion into a political pawn. Her detention became a significant plot point in the escalating geopolitical tensions. While her family, friends, and fellow athletes lobbied the White House for her release, celebrities like Justin Bieber and Jada Pinkett Smith joined the #WeAreBG campaign to keep public pressure on the government. It took nine agonizing months before she was finally brought home through a prisoner exchange.

 

In "Coming Home," Griner reveals the grim reality of her imprisonment, presenting a biography that could easily be classified as a horror story. The details of her ordeal are harrowing, but it is the complete loss of power and autonomy that is most disturbing. Griner was thrust into a draconian and corrupt penal system where her fate hinged on the whims of Vladimir Putin. The squalor and humiliations she endured were relentless. From rusty-brown showers to invasive strip-searches by guards who questioned her gender, Griner faced a constant barrage of dehumanizing experiences. In one particularly grim basement cell, she describes the walls as being covered in “black soot and piss, or whatever bodily fluid I smelled.”

 

The narrative builds incredible suspense, despite the well-known outcome of her release. From the initial, avoidable mistake of hurriedly packing her travel items to the unforeseen consequences of missing her plane from JFK, Griner's tale is one of tragic "ifs." She recounts the customs hall scenario where the 6-foot-9 black athlete was singled out among other foreigners. A forgotten vape cartridge in her bag led to charges of smuggling and possession, setting off the chain of events that would change her life.

 

Denied bail, Griner was moved through various prisons, each with its own set of challenges. At a women's prison outside Moscow, she relied heavily on Alena, an English-speaking cellmate, to help her understand and cope with the prison’s rules and routines. The squalid conditions and degrading treatment she faced were unrelenting. Strip-searches became routine, and the guards’ disbelief in her gender added another layer of humiliation to her plight.

 

After the shock of her sentencing – Griner received nine years, nearly the maximum penalty – she was transported to a former gulag. The train journey took over a week, during which she lay inside a cage, on a metal bunk far too small for her frame. She mourned the loss of one of her few possessions, a sudoku book that she had kept with her since her arrest. Relle had already completed one of the puzzles and signed her name next to it. “When I felt down I turned to that page and rubbed her signature on my cheek.”

 

Griner’s co-writer, Michelle Burford, a founding editor of O, The Oprah Magazine, weaves the high-stakes drama of the narrative with empathetic glimpses of Griner’s upbringing. Growing up black and extremely tall, Griner attracted plenty of unwelcome attention, while her parents worried there was something medically wrong with her. When she came out, her father, Ray, who had fought in the Vietnam War before becoming a policeman, yelled at her: “I ain’t raising no gay bitch!” and she left home. Yet, despite this, their ongoing love for each other is palpable, and the toughness he instilled in her helped her survive in prison.

 

We learn, too, about the tireless efforts of Relle, a lawyer, and Griner’s agent, Lindsay Kagawa Colas, who worked relentlessly to secure her release. “A freedom campaign has a question at its heart,” writes Griner: “‘Who deserves our sympathy?’” It is, perhaps, the book’s most powerful and poignant question. Griner’s story ends not with her return to the WNBA, but with a list of Americans still held hostage around the world, including former Marine Paul Whelan and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich in Russia. This ending serves as a sobering reminder of the ongoing struggles faced by others in similar predicaments.

 

"Coming Home" is a testament to Brittney Griner's resilience and a stark reminder of the potential pitfalls when autocrats invest in sport. Her account is a gripping and essential read, offering insights into the complexities of international sports, politics, and human rights.

 

Credit: The Guardian 2024-07-15

 

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[HalAndLois]

No one contested that she broke Russian law.  She did.  Yet Biden traded Viktor Bout, an imprisoned arms dealer, to free this piece of garbage.  She should have served out her well-earned prison sentence and Viktor Bout should still be in prison.

[Tug]

32 minutes ago, HalAndLois said:

No one contested that she broke Russian law.  She did.  Yet Biden traded Viktor Bout, an imprisoned arms dealer, to free this piece of garbage.  She should have served out her well-earned prison sentence and Viktor Bout should still be in prison.

As I do agree it was a bad trade how does that make grinder a piece of garbage?guess you are frightened by homosexuals 😞 don’t be scared they won’t bother you

[KhunLA]

I hate when criminals profit from their criminal activity 

[JonnyF]

Ah, Griner, the woman who boycotted the national anthem but then got the US government to bail her out of her criminal activity in exchange for the arms trader and "merchant of death" Viktor Bout.

 

That Brittney Griner?

 

Should have left her to serve her jail sentence. 

[Jingthing]

4 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

Ah, Griner, the woman who boycotted the national anthem but then got the US government to bail her out of her criminal activity in exchange for the arms trader and "merchant of death" Viktor Bout.

 

That Brittney Griner?

 

Should have left her to serve her jail sentence. 

Do you believe in freedom of expression and protest or not? 

Decent patriotic Americans do.

Putin's Russia doesn't.

Apparently many maga fascist Americans don't either.

That said I do question the price the U.S. had to pay to trade for Griner. Definitely too high. 

[JonnyF]

8 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Do you believe in freedom of expression and protest or not? 

Decent patriotic Americans do.

Putin's Russia doesn't.

Apparently many maga fascist Americans don't either.

That said I do question the price the U.S. had to pay to trade for Griner. Definitely too high. 

 

If you break the laws of a foreign land, you should do the punishment of that land. 

 

Interesting that she now stands for the anthem now that America bailed her out by releasing the merchant of death. Amazing how her attitude changed. 😄

 

Do the crime, do the time. Just because I would get a slap on the wrist for possessing class A drugs in my home country, I wouldn't expect the same leniency in Thailand. I certainly wouldn't expect an arms dealer to be released in exchange for my freedom and then cash in by writing a "poor me" book about it.

 

Should have left her there to complete her sentence for the crime she committed. 

[Jingthing]

2 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

 

If you break the laws of a foreign land, you should do the punishment of that land. 

 

Interesting that she now stands for the anthem now that America bailed her out by releasing the merchant of death. Amazing how her attitude changed. 😄

 

Do the crime, do the time. Just because I would get a slap on the wrist for possessing class A drugs in my home country, I wouldn't expect the same leniency in Thailand. I certainly wouldn't expect an arms dealer to be released in exchange for my freedom and then cash in by writing a "poor me" book about it.

 

Should have left her there to complete her sentence for the crime she committed. 

You're talking out of both sides of your mouth.

Taking the heat abroad for a crime is totally different than thinking an American deserves crappier treatment because they have been a protester.

[JonnyF]

3 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

You're talking out of both sides of your mouth.

Taking the heat abroad for a crime is totally different than thinking an American deserves crappier treatment because they have been a protester.

 

No I am not. 

 

She deserves the same treatment as every other American imprisoned for their drug crimes abroad.

 

They serve their sentence.

 

Yes she was treated differently. She was treated far better than others in the same position. How many other American prisoners get exchanged for international arms dealers? It was absolutely ridiculous to make such an exchange. Only a weak administration would do such a thing. The USA got their pants pulled down in front of the world, and not for the first time under this administration. Humiliating.  

 

Would you be taking the same stance if it was the son of Donald Trump or Elon Musk getting this special treatment?  

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, JonnyF said:

 

No I am not. 

 

She deserves the same treatment as every other American imprisoned for their drug crimes abroad.

 

They serve their sentence.

 

Yes she was treated differently. She was treated far better than others in the same position. How many other American prisoners get exchanged for international arms dealers? It was absolutely ridiculous to make such an exchange. Only a weak administration would do such a thing. The USA got their pants pulled down in front of the world, and not for the first time under this administration. Humiliating.  

 

Would you be taking the same stance if it was the son of Donald Trump or Elon Musk getting this special treatment?  

Not exactly.

She was used as a political pawn by the fascist dicatorship of Putin who sees the USA as their top enemy.

Yes she was caught with cannabis.

But an objective look at the level of punishment being thrown at her compared to a regular Russian or citizen of a friendly to Russia country showed she was a political pawn.

Obviously that paid off for Putin.

I don't argue that there were ethical issues with this but it's definitely not as simple minded black and white as you present it.

[KhunLA]

40 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

Do the crime, do the time. Just because I would get a slap on the wrist for possessing class A drugs in my home country, I wouldn't expect the same leniency in Thailand. I certainly wouldn't expect an arms dealer to be released in exchange for my freedom and then cash in by writing a "poor me" book about it.

 

Should have left her there to complete her sentence for the crime she committed. 

Then after the fact, she simply attracted to much attention to her case, so had to be made an example of.   When in a country that might not appreciate 'freedom of expression' from foreigners, you should probably STFU.

 

She made bad choices all around, since being high profile, from a country, that is holding or controlling their citizens in prison.  RU & USA, both always looking for someone to trade for their own.

 

Then breaking the law, the crying about it ... oh well 

Edited July 16 by KhunLA

[Jingthing]

Another factor is her homosexuality.

Russia is an extremely anti LGBT country now.

Identifying with LGBT makes a person an enemy of the state.

Clearly she was an ideal scapegoat for the fascist Putin regime.

[JonnyF]

1 minute ago, KhunLA said:

Then after the fact, she simply attracted to much attention to her case, so had to be made an example of.   When in a country that might not appreciate 'freedom of expression' from foreigners, you should probably STFU.

 

Why should I "STFU"?

 

I am saying that Thailand is perfectly entitled to enforce it's laws on foreigners committing drug crimes in Thailand. As is Russia on foreigners committing drug crimes in Russia.

 

Hardly a controversial stance. Maybe you misunderstood again? 

[KhunLA]

Just now, Jingthing said:

Another factor is her homosexuality.

Russia is an extremely anti LGBT country now.

Identifying with LGBT makes a person an enemy of the state.

Clearly she was an ideal scapegoat for the fascist Putin regime.

That had absolutely nothing to do with anything.  Just a imaginary talking point for the alphabet folks

[KhunLA]

3 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

 

Why should I "STFU"?

 

I am saying that Thailand is perfectly entitled to enforce it's laws on foreigners committing drug crimes in Thailand. As is Russia on foreigners committing drug crimes in Russia.

 

Hardly a controversial stance. Maybe you misunderstood again? 

Not you ... she should of STFU after the arrest, and let the back channels do their thing.   Probably, maybe, would have been resolved sooner, without the high profile trade.

 

Or Buddha forbid, she used common sense and simply didn't violate the law.

Edited July 16 by KhunLA

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, KhunLA said:

That had absolutely nothing to do with anything.  Just a imaginary talking point for the alphabet folks

You obviously don't have a clue about Russian political culture today.

LGBT are their number one internal scapegoat, and the USA is their number one external scapegoat, so she was the perfect victim for persecution there.

Yes she was stupid to break the law obviously. But the way they were treating was not normal. It was political. 

[JonnyF]

1 minute ago, Jingthing said:

Another factor is her homosexuality.

Russia is an extremely anti LGBT country now.

Identifying with LGBT makes a person an enemy of the state.

Clearly she was an ideal scapegoat for the fascist Putin regime.

 

Oh, playing the "gay card" again.

 

If her homosexuality had any influence on this case it was to her benefit. A left wing Woke US administration made an extra special effort to get her released because they saw the opportunity to for a huge virtue signal due to her being a black LGBT woman. 

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, JonnyF said:

 

Oh, playing the "gay card" again.

 

If her homosexuality had any influence on this case it was to her benefit. A left wing Woke US administration made an extra special effort to get her released because they saw the opportunity to for a huge virtue signal due to her being a black LGBT woman. 

It had a benefit for her on the US side as far as PR and solidarity from the women's basketball community.

It was not a benefit for her in Russia, an EXTREMELY anti LGBT fascist state.

Edited July 16 by Jingthing

[Purdey]

Just goes to show, check the legality of taking drugs abroad before leaving home. 

[KhunLA]

2 hours ago, Jingthing said:

You obviously don't have a clue about Russian political culture today.

LGBT are their number one internal scapegoat, and the USA is their number one external scapegoat, so she was the perfect victim for persecution there.

Yes she was stupid to break the law obviously. But the way they were treating was not normal. It was political. 

I can't say, not having experience with the justice system of RU.  Do you ???

 

As I stated, high profile person, breaking the law, making an issue out of her (instead of STFU), and simply making herself a pawn in a larger chess game.   

 

Good thing she's good at sport, as she's an idiot on world politics.

 

A 9 year sentence for smuggling ... she got off easy.

RU'S drug code

Edited July 16 by KhunLA

[KhunLA]

31 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

A 9 year sentence for smuggling ... she got off easy.

RU'S drug code

 

[Jingthing]

43 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

I can't say, not having experience with the justice system of RU.  Do you ???

 

As I stated, high profile person, breaking the law, making an issue out of her (instead of STFU), and simply making herself a pawn in a larger chess game.   

 

Good thing she's good at sport, as she's an idiot on world politics.

 

A 9 year sentence for smuggling ... she got off easy.

RU'S drug code

Willful ignorance of the situation in Russia. 

[JonnyF]

41 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

As I stated, high profile person, breaking the law, making an issue out of her (instead of STFU), and simply making herself a pawn in a larger chess game.   

 

Good thing she's good at sport, as she's an idiot on world politics.

 

Well given that she's now a free woman (or whatever she identifies as) making money out of selling her story of her rank stupidity and criminal behaviour, she seems to have come out of it smelling of roses.

 

Of course, an infamous arms dealer nicknamed the merchant of death is now free as a result of her stupidity and criminal behaviour, but that won't bother Brittney. She won't give it a second thought.    

 

[KhunLA]

7 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Willful ignorance of the situation in Russia. 

Yes you are ...

... but I won't hold that against you 

 

I they wanted to really screw her, the could have gave her a 30 year sentence.  Let that sink in.

Edited July 16 by KhunLA

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, KhunLA said:

Yes you are ...

... but I won't hold that against you 

Sleazy game playing.