Brittney Griner (Photo via Imagn Images)
Brittney Griner went through a remarkable ordeal after getting convicted in Russia and sentenced to a pris0n stint, which would have still been going on had it not been for a pris0ner swap.

The Atlanta Dream star recently sat down with former NFL quarterback Cam Newton to detail her time in jail, recalling how she was harassed and purposely humiliated, having been stripped in front of several males at one point.

Griner was transferred to a men’s pris0n before she was handed back to the United States in exchange for the “Merchant of Death” Viktor Bout, claiming Russian authorities used the transfer as another opportunity to vi0late and dehumanize her.

“I had to get transferred from the penal colony to the men’s pris0n in Moscow […] Their one little last play to terrorize me or mess with me […] they had me basically stripped down, butt naked in front of a room of like seven to eight men,” she said in her interview with Newton.

“They had the Polaroid and they got me standing in a circle while they [were] taking photos of my tattoos,” she added.

Griner was eventually flown back to the States after spending 10 months in pris0n and shook hands with Bout during the swap. She joked that she’s never leaving America again after what she went through in Russia.

“In my mind, I’m like ‘I don’t plan on leaving the country ever again,” she said, laughing. “I’m good, we got beaches right at the US of A.”

Brittney Griner Also Details Her Ordeal In 2024 Book

The 10-time All-Star spent the first nine years of her career with the Phoenix Mercury, leading them to a WNBA title in 2014.

A two-time scoring champion, she is averaging 10.3 points and 5.8 rebounds per game in her first season with the Dream, who are 13-9 following their disappointing 15-25 record last season.

Griner has also detailed her Russian ordeal in a book titled ‘Coming Home,’ which launched in 2024 and outlines her detainment, the toll it took on her, and her eventual release.

The book is her second and follows a 2014 memoir called ‘In My Skin,’ in which she opened up on her struggles with identity and bullying during her journey while becoming one of the most dominant forces in professional women’s basketball.

Brittney Griner (Photo via Twitter)
WNBA star Brittney Griner was at the center of a new debate over what she allegedly said in a game against basketball phenom Caitlin Clark.

The Atlanta Dream center found herself at the center of social media controversy last month when some fans thought she disparaged Indiana Fever star guard Caitlin Clark upon fouling out.

The game’s broadcast focused on an upset Griner saying something as she returned to the Dream bench after fouling out of the game. While there’s no audio of this moment, some who tried to read Griner’s lips thought she called Clark a “trash f–king white girl.”

However, there’s no proof of Griner saying those actual words since others thought she stated something else.

It took weeks for someone to finally get a quote from her, and she provided much of nothing.

Brittney Griner was asked about this moment before her team’s June 15 game against the Washington Mystics and said, “I remember fouling out, being mad. I remember fouling out on, I believe it was [Natasha] Howard driving to the basket. They said I put my hand in.”

This is the first time I’ve heard Brittney Griner speak! 🤨
And this person is on a women’s basketball team? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/PogH2LHf3B

— Jannine.. #MagaMemeQueen ™️ 👑🇺🇸 (@janninereid1) June 15, 2025

WNBA Chooses Not To Investigate Brittney Griner

Brittney Griner (Photo By Dale Zanine-Imagn Images)
Moments before the conclusion of the Indiana Fever’s 81-76 victory over the Dream at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta weeks ago, cameras seemingly caught Atlanta Dream star center Brittney Griner labeling Caitlin Clark “trash” before calling her a “f***ing white girl” in frustration over a foul on Natasha Howard.

The clip of Griner speaking on the bench, lacking context, spread on social media and went viral.

Griner, who won a gold medal for Team USA at the Summer Olympics in Paris in 2024, essentially got away with whatever came out of her mouth because the league basically ignored the controversy.

This incident is not the only time Griner vocalized her frustrations this season. Following another game, she stormed off mid-interview, yelling at the referees to “be f—ing better.