WNBA Star Brittney Griner Considered Suicide While Imprisioned In Russia: 'Didn't Think I Could Get Through'
WNBA star Brittney Griner is breaking her silence to reveal the harrowing experience of being arrested in Moscow, Russia.
In a special ABC News report with '20/20,' Griner admitted that she contemplated suicide during the early days of her detainment in a Russian prison. She explained that it was the thoughts of her loved ones that kept her from making the rash decision.
"I did. I didn't think I could get through what I needed to get through," Griner, 33, explained. She instead encouraged herself, saying, "I have to endure this."
The nine-time WNBA All-Star and two-time Olympic Gold Medalist was detained around the same time Russia invaded Ukraine, leading to heightened tensions between the two nations. Per ESPN, she was released in exchange for a convicted Russian arms dealer.
In February 2022, the basketball center arrived to Russia from Arizona, where two cartridges of cannabis oil she was carrying in her backpack were legal in her hometown, but a serious offense in Russia.
She described the moment officials found her weed pen "like an elevator just dropped from under my feet. My life is over right here...How was I this absent-minded to make this huge mistake?" she told host Robin Roberts.
"I could visualize everything I worked for just crumbling," she continued.
Griner described harrowing conditions while imprisoned, saying the mattress had a huge stain of blood and was mostly bars with a thin sheet. She was only allowed one roll of toilet paper per month and only had access to expired toothpaste.
During her time at IK2, reportedly one of the worst Russian prisons, Griner claimed she was "really cold" while working in a fabric factory. Her dreadlocs were always wet and would freeze, she recalled, leading to her cutting off her signature look.
@gma EXCLUSIVE: #BrittneyGriner details her time spent in Russian prison saying she cut her dreadlocks because they started to freeze: “You’ve gotta do what you gotta do to survive.” “Prisoner in Russia: The Brittney Griner interview" airs tonight on ABC 20/20 and later on Hulu. #BrittneyGrinerOnABC #robinroberts #goodmorningamerica #griner #bg #wnba ♬ original sound - Good Morning America
"Honestly it just had to happen. We had spiders above my bed making nests. My dreads started to freeze — they would just stay wet and cold and I was getting sick," she explained. "Gotta do what you gotta do to survive."
Griner maintained that she had "no intent of breaking Russian laws." The Houston, Texas, native admitted she made an honest mistake and hoped that her conviction and sentence in a Russian Labor Camp "wouldn't end her life."
