Olympic women’s basketball player Brittney Griner says that wearing the Team USA jersey during the summer Games in Paris “means everything” to her.
It is a far different stance than she has taken on patriotism in the past, but a welcome one.
Griner now gets chills wearing the red, white, and blue uniform.
“It means everything to me honestly,” Griner said according to the Associated Press. “For me to now have the honor to wear it again and potentially win gold is icing on the cake for everything.”
Griner’s newfound appreciation for the United States comes after she suffered a harrowing ordeal in Russia.
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Brittney Griner’s Love Of America
Brittney Griner was arrested in Russia in February 2022 on drug charges for possessing cannabis oil. She was sentenced to 9 years in prison after pleading guilty, claiming it was an accident.
Griner was released in December 2022 as part of a prisoner swap in which the U.S. exchanged her for notorious Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.
She emerged, apparently a changed person. The Phoenix Mercury center had shifted from protesting the national anthem to having an appreciation for the country that made her a star.
“It’s like when you go for the Olympics, you’re sitting there, about to get gold put on your neck, the flags are going up, and the anthem is playing, it just hits different,” she said after returning home.
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Her Right To Protest
Brittney Griner has defended past protests of the national anthem as her right as an American and told fans she actually wanted to be a police officer or soldier growing up.
Still, the pivot has been rather remarkable.
“Everyone has made a mistake before,” Griner has said.
The WNBA star will embark on her first overseas competition since the Russian prison ordeal. But she says she isn’t concerned now.
“It’s different, it’s way different,” she explained. “The level of comfortability and security we have right now makes it a lot easier.”
Griner recently had a good showing in the All-Star game against Team WNBA, despite her squad’s loss.
She also shared the joyous news of the arrival of a new baby boy with her wife, Cherelle.
Griner says she intends to have the baby refer to her as “Pops.”
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