Brittney Griner’s Wife Doesn’t Think the WNBA Player’s Release Is a ‘Top Priority’ for Biden
Cherelle Griner spoke publicly for the first time to Good Morning America about her wife, who has been detained in Russia for nearly 100 days.
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Cherelle Griner has not spoken to her wife, WNBA star Brittney Griner, in nearly 100 days. The last time she texted her partner was in the middle of the night on February 17, when the athlete sent roughly 50 text messages begging Cherelle to wake up and informing her that she’d been locked in a room in a Russian airport.
Wednesday’s Good Morning America interview marks the first time Cherelle has spoken publicly about her wife’s “wrongful detainment” in Russia. She said she was personally told by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken that securing Griner’s safe return is a “top priority” for the government. When asked by Roberts if she believed that to be true, Cherelle paused and said, “I don’t know. At this point, I don’t even know who I’m getting back when she comes back.”
Cherelle later spoke with ESPN’s Angela Rye, retelling the story of the last time she spoke to Griner: “She was so exhausted from always having to go overseas. We talked about it, and I was like, well, you know what babe? Let’s make this your last season overseas. I was like, you don’t have to go back anymore. We’ll figure something else out when it comes to pay.”