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'BG IS COMING HOME': Sports world reacts to news of Brittney Griner's release

Callie Lawson-Freeman
·Contributing writer
·4-min read

Brittney Griner has been released from Russian prison after 10 months of being "wrongfully detained," President Joe Biden announced Thursday.

"BG IS COMING HOME" trended on Twitter almost immediately. The eight-time WNBA All-Star had overwhelming support on social media from her teammates, other athletes and fans who advocated for her release.

Official statements

Griner's family thanked their supporters and everyone involved in getting her home:

We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to President Biden and his administration for the tireless work they did to bring Brittney home. We would also like to extend a special thank you to Governor Richardson and Mickey Bergman of the Richardson Center for their work, as well as remaining in constant communication with us.

We sincerely thank you all for the kind words, thoughts and prayers - including Paul and the Whelan family who have been generous with their support for Brittney and our family during what we know is a heartbreaking time. We pray for Paul and for the swift and safe return of all wrongfully-detained Americans.

We ask that you respect our privacy as we embark on this road to healing.

The Griner Family

Griner's WNBA team, the Phoenix Mercury, released a statement welcoming her back.

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver also issued statements detailing their empathy for Griner and gratitude for all who made her release possible.

The WNBA and NBA Players Associations issued statements as well.

As did Griner's agent, Lindsay Colas of Wasserman Sports:

Reactions all over the sports world

Griner's nickname "BG" was never absent from Twitter, as Seattle Storm star Breanna Stewart tweeted a count every single day that Griner was detained. She tweeted the final number Thursday with joy.

Griner's USA basketball teammates, peers and NBA supporters also shared their excitement about the news of her release. Coaches and media members also expressed relief.

Dallas Cowboys football star Micah Parsons initially questioned Griner's release and noted that Paul Whelan, a former Marine, remained in Russia. Parsons later attempted to clarify his intentions and apologized, acknowledging the separate efforts for Whelan's return in a series of tweets.