Brittney Griner compares Russian prison experience to current ICE enforcement in United States

WNBA prima Brittney Griner believes her caller documentary astir her clip imprisoned successful Russia compares to the existent concern successful the United States.

With ICE agents cracking down connected migration successful large cities crossed the country, Griner told The Hollywood Reporter she hopes her 30 for 30 documentary, which premieres astatine the 2026 Sundance Film Festival Tuesday nighttime and volition aerial aboriginal this twelvemonth connected ESPN, volition "shed immoderate light" connected what the state could go "if we support letting this happen.

"Right now, we’re successful a precise atrocious place, particularly with everything that’s going connected successful Minnesota and conscionable crossed our country," Griner told the outlet. "I decidedly deliberation radical volition recognize a small spot much present and beryllium capable to spot immoderate comparisons."

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Phoenix Mercury halfway Brittney Griner (42) grabs a rebound successful beforehand of Phoenix Mercury guardant Brianna Turner, right, during the 2nd fractional successful Arlington, Texas, June 9, 2023. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Titled "The Brittney Griner Story," the documentary by Alexandria Stapleton volition amusement what Griner went done successful her 10 months arsenic a Russian prisoner, which included clip successful a penal colony known for its brutal conditions.

Stapleton besides agrees with Griner’s constituent of presumption astir the film.

"When we started, truthful overmuch of BG’s communicative was inactive precise foreign," Stapleton added. "And present to rewatch it and beryllium successful the midst of everything that’s exploding successful Minnesota and each passim the United States, it’s crazy. I anticipation radical tin ticker this communicative and spot it arsenic a cautionary communicative … astir sound immoderate consciousness into people.

BRITTNEY GRINER REVEALS DISTURBING TRUTH ABOUT HER RUSSIAN PRISON CELLMATE'S CRIMES:'DIDN'T REALLY SLEEP'

"Hopefully, this tin beryllium a movie that tin marque a change."

Griner, 35, added, "I anticipation radical get the consciousness of, ‘When we travel together, we tin halt what’s going on.’ We tin alteration what’s going connected close present successful our country."

The documentary volition amusement Griner’s upbringing and her narration with woman Cherelle. And portion her clip astatine Baylor and successful the WNBA volition beryllium featured, her 7 years playing successful Russia starring up to her apprehension sits halfway stage.

Griner has discussed what her beingness was similar successful the Russian detention center, which included immoderate horrifying details astir what led 1 of her cellmates to prison.

Griner made an quality connected Cam Newton’s "Funky Friday" podcast past year, and the Atlanta Dream prima discussed her clip successful jail. During that conversation, Griner explained however inmates were not separated based connected the crimes they committed. So, portion she said astir inmates were successful situation owed to execution oregon drugs, 1 of her aboriginal cellmates was determination for a vile reason. 

Brittney Griner of the Phoenix Mercury speaks to the media April 27, 2023, astatine the Footprint Center successful Phoenix, Ariz.  (Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images)

"I had a cellmate successful the precise beginning. I thought thing was disconnected with her," Griner said. "She acted similar a child, but she was a grown woman. But she precise overmuch acted similar an teen child. And past she had pain marks each implicit herself, and I recovered retired aft the information that she was selling videos online of her hubby and her kid — together. And that’s who they had maine successful a compartment with.

"The mattress had a immense humor stain connected it. I had nary soap, nary toilet paper. That was the infinitesimal wherever I conscionable felt little than a human," Griner added during a sit-down interrogation with ABC News’ "Good Morning America" successful 2024. 

Griner was arrested aft realizing she left vape cartridges successful her luggage astatine a Russian airdrome successful February 2022 portion playing hoops overseas. She was aboriginal transferred to the Russian punishment colony astir 300 miles extracurricular Moscow aft receiving a nine-year situation sentence.

Griner served 10 months earlier being released arsenic portion of a captive exchange. As portion of the documentary, erstwhile President Joe Biden gave an interrogation successful which helium said helium was moved to effort to marque a woody for Griner aft Cherelle and Lindsay Kagawa Colas, Griner’s longtime manager, met with him for much than 2 hours astatine the White House, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Griner adds that Biden was "definitely a idiosyncratic leader of mine" aft helium brokered her merchandise successful speech for convicted Russian arms trader Viktor Bout, besides known arsenic the "Merchant of Death," Dec. 8, 2022.

Phoenix Mercury halfway Brittney Griner questions a telephone during the archetypal fractional of a WNBA hoops basketball crippled against the Dallas Wings successful Arlington, Texas, June 9, 2023.  (AP Photo/LM Otero)

At the time, immoderate were furious that Griner was released portion Marine seasoned Paul Whelan, besides imprisoned astatine the time, wasn’t. The documentary notes that Griner went retired of her mode to constitute a missive to Biden asking for Whelan’s release, among others, per the outlet.

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"I americium human, and sometimes it gets maine worked up, it makes maine privation to accidental something," Griner added. "But, astatine the aforesaid time, a batch of these radical are conscionable looking to get noticed successful their mediocre lives, and they request a effect from maine oregon whoever they’re attacking to consciousness important, due to the fact that they privation to get their 2 seconds of fame. I effort to bash a bully occupation ignoring it."

Griner volition participate her 13th WNBA play this year. The nine-time All-Star and six-time All-WNBA enactment finished her archetypal twelvemonth with the Dream aft spending 11 seasons with the Phoenix Mercury. She was incapable to play successful 2022 owed to her detainment successful Russia.

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