Following her 10-month detainment in Russia, Phoenix Mercury forward Brittney Griner said she will likely not play overseas again unless it's to play in the Olympics. Prior to the incident, she was one of about 70 WNBA players who play in other countries during the offseason to make extra money.
The eight-time WNBA All-Star missed the USA Basketball training camp in February, but she is part of the pool of players who are up for consideration for the 2024 Olympic team.
"I can say for me, I'm never going overseas to play again unless I'm representing my country at the Olympics. If I make the team, that'd be the only time I'd leave U.S. soil, and that's just to represent the USA," Griner said during Thursday's press conference, her first media availability since returning home.
On Feb. 17, 2022, Russian customs services found marijuana concentrate in Griner's luggage when she had arrived in Moscow to rejoin UMMC Ekaterinburg -- the team she had been played for during the WNBA offseason since 2014. Griner was eventually sentenced to nine years in prison on drug charges, but the Biden administration was able to negotiate a one-for-one prisoner swap in December.
Griner is back home now and getting ready to play for the Mercury this upcoming season. She explained that going overseas was not always an easy decision to make. The WNBA's minimum salary is just over $60,000, while the maximum salary is slightly under $230,000.
"I'll say this, the whole reason a lot of us go overseas is the pay gap. A lot of go over there to make an income to support our families, to support ourselves. So I don't knock any player who wants to go overseas and make a little bit of extra money," Griner said.
"It's a shame that we have to leave our families for holidays, you're missing everything being away. But at the same time, as much as I would love to pay my light bill for the love of the game, I can't. I think that's probably one of the biggest reasons people are still going overseas, that's why I was there."
Griner added that she hopes this that as the league continues to grow, the pay will increase and there will be less players who feel the need to play in the offseason.
The Mercury will open their season against the Los Angeles Sparks at Crypto.com Arena on May 19. Here is Brittney Griner's full press conference:
