WNBA star Brittney Griner has publicly recounted her harrowing ten-month detention in Russia. In an exclusive interview with ABC’s 20/20, she described the conditions as “dehumanizing.” She revealed that her trademark dreadlocks froze in sub-zero cell temperatures, forcing her to cut them. “You’ve gotta do what you gotta do to survive,” she said. This decision symbolized just one of many sacrifices she made to endure the harsh reality of Russian prison life.
Griner detailed living arrangements that were bleak at best. In Correctional Colony No. 1, she recalled sleepless nights: “The mattress had a huge blood stain on it,” with only thin sheets covering bare metal bars. Her feet would stick through the bars. She feared someone could grab or break them in their sleep.
She also spoke of extreme shortages: one toilet roll per month and toothpaste expired by 15 years. “We used to put it on the black mold to kill the mold on the wall,” she remarked, recalling how inmates improvised amid unhygienic conditions.
Language, Loneliness, and Survival
Griner said that for two to three months, basic provisions simply vanished. She credited a fellow inmate, a 28-year-old named Alena, for translating and helping her survive. “If not for her I wouldn’t have made it,” Griner admitted.
During her transfer to IK‑2 in Mordovia, conditions reportedly did not improve. The cell was cramped, the climate frigid, and spiders nested above her bed. She said that as the cold seeped into her hair, it froze—prompting the dreadlocks’ sacrifice. She emphasized, “It’s a work camp. You go there to work. There’s no rest.”
The Human Toll
Reflecting on her arrest at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport on February 17, 2022, Griner described a moment of sheer terror. She called it a “mental lapse” that led her to inadvertently carry vape cartridges containing cannabis oil. She said, “I could just visualize everything I worked so hard for just crumbling and going away.” Griner admitted deep feelings of guilt: “I let everybody down.”
Release and Reflection
Griner pleaded guilty on July 7, 2022, affirming she did not intend wrongdoing. On December 8, 2022, she was released in a high-profile prisoner swap for convicted arms trafficker Viktor Bout. Bout later said he wished her luck when they met during the exchange.
Upon returning home, Griner described the release as rejoining “civilization” and later published her memoir, Coming Home, which chronicles her ordeal. She resumed her pro basketball career and earned her third Olympic gold medal in Paris 2024. Her teammate Diana Taurasi called her journey “unprecedented” and praised her resilience.