The WNBA star also shared her intention to play for the Phoenix Mercury this season.
Brittney Griner is thanking everyone who had a hand in helping her get home safely after being held for months in Russian prisons on drug charges.
On Friday, the WNBA star took to Instagram for the first time since she arrived back in the United States last week. "It feels so good to be home! The last 10 months have been a battle at every turn," Griner captioned her post featuring a photo of her stepping off a plane at Fort Hood in Texas, as well as another pic of her hugging her wife, Cherelle. "I dug deep to keep my faith and it was the love from so many of you that helped keep me going. From the bottom of my heart, thank you to everyone for your help."
The Olympic medalist thanked various friends, colleagues, organizations and public figures that championed on her behalf during her time in Russia, including her team at Wasserman, her Russian legal team of Maria Blagovolina and Alex Boykov, Gov. Richardson, Mickey Bergman of the Richardson Center and many more.
Griner also specifically thanked President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris and urged the U.S. to continue to fight to bring imprisoned ex-Marine Paul Whelan home from Russia.
"President Biden, you brought me home and I know you are committed to bringing Paul Whelan and all Americans home too," she wrote. "I will use my platform to do whatever I can to help you. I also encourage everyone that played a part in bringing me home to continue their efforts to bring all Americans home. Every family deserves to be whole."
The 32-year-old athlete also revealed her intention to play for the Phoenix Mercury when the WNBA season begins next spring.
"I also want to make one thing very clear: I intend to play basketball for the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury this season, and in doing so, I look forward to being able to say 'thank you' to those of you who advocated, wrote, and posted for me in person soon," she wrote.
Griner was released last Thursday in a one-for-one prisoner swap for notorious international arms dealer Viktor Bout, bringing an end to an ordeal that sparked intense high-level negotiations between Washington and Moscow to secure her freedom.
The star center was detained at a Russian airport in February and later pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the discovery of cannabis-derived oil cartridges in her luggage. Brittney said she didn't mean to bring the cartridges with her when she traveled to the country to play in a Russian basketball league during the WNBA offseason.
According to ESPN, one of the first things the athlete did while she recovered at a military base in San Antonio, Texas, before heading home, was play basketball for the first time since her release.
Griner reportedly hit the court at Fort Sam in Houston, where she was undergoing medical evaluations and spending time with family. Her first move was a dunk!
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