Brittney Griner is honored to wear a U.S. basketball jersey again after serving time in a Russian prison

There were times when Brittney Griner thought she would never wear a USA basketball jersey again.

The two-time Olympic gold medallist spent 2022 in a Russian prison, sentenced to nine years for drug possession and smuggling. Playing for her country again seemed a far-fetched idea at the time. She was released ten months later in a high-profile prisoner swap.

Now, 19 months later, she is playing for the United States at the Olympic Games in Paris, her first time playing overseas since returning from Russia.

Griner, who wore her No. 15 USA jersey before the team played the WNBA All-Star Game on Saturday, said she already gets goosebumps just putting on the jersey.

“It really means everything to me,” Griner told the Associated Press in an interview. “To now have the honor of wearing it again and potentially winning gold is the icing on the cake for everything.”

Griner had gone to Russia to play basketball and supplement her WNBA income. She had been doing it for years. Not anymore. The 33-year-old said she would only play in the United States unless USA Basketball asked her to play. Griner has spent a lot of time playing with the U.S. team and feels 100 percent safe when she is with them.

“It’s different, we’re so protected by the staff around us,” she said. “It’s different, it’s very different. The level of comfort and safety that we have now makes it a lot easier.”

It’s been a busy few weeks for Griner, as her wife Cherelle gave birth to their son Bash on July 8. Griner said it was hard to say goodbye to him for a few weeks.

“We got some really cool pictures before I left,” she said. “He doesn’t know anything yet, but one day it’ll be cool for him to have that footage. There’s so much footage.”

She will have her USA Basketball family to lean on while she is in Paris, and her teammates and coaches are thrilled to have her back playing for the United States.

“That’s something when you think about it. Think outside of the Olympics, someone’s personal experience and what they’ve been through and are still going through,” U.S. coach Cheryl Reeve said. “We were all thinking about BG when she was gone and we didn’t know if this moment would be possible. I’m happy for her personally and happy for our basketball team.”

Griner got to practice with Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff for a few minutes on Friday. He and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris met Griner when she returned to the U.S. and attended her first WNBA game in Los Angeles, his hometown.

He was touched that Griner wanted to represent the United States again.

“I get goosebumps just thinking about it,” he told the AP. “Where she was, and where she is now, to see her positivity and spirit, it’s just fascinating. It’s amazing to see that.”

Emhoff will lead the U.S. delegation to the Olympic closing ceremonies, the night of the women’s gold medal match in which Griner and her teammates are expected to compete.

“Hopefully everything goes our way and that anthem plays,” Griner said of the United States, hoping for an eighth straight gold medal in the Aug. 11 final. “It’s going to be a lot more emotional this time.”