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Griner returned to the United States in December 2022 after being detained in Russia in February of that year.
CNN
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Basketball star Brittney Griner received the WNBA Cares Community Assist Award on Friday – an honor given to the Phoenix Mercury center for its volunteer work off the field.
THE WNBA said it was Griner’s “extensive work supporting the safe return of wrongfully detained overseas and helping marginalized communities in Phoenix” that earned him this season-long recognition.
Last year, the two-time Olympic gold medalist spent nearly 10 months in custody in Russia on alleged drug charges. Griner, whom the US State Department considers to have been wrongly detained, was released last December as part of a prisoner swap involving Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.
According to the league, Griner’s efforts with “Bring Our Families Home” (BOFH) and “BG Heart & Sole Shoe Drive” are initiatives that have had a significant impact on the lives of others.
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Griner spent all of her WNBA seasons with the Mercury, winning a championship in 2014.
The BOFH campaign highlights Americans held hostage or detained abroad. Griner founded the shoe drive in 2016 after noticing unhoused people in the Phoenix area walking without shoes. Since then, nearly 2,000 people have received shoes, according to the Phoenix Rescue Mission.
The WNBA says it will split a $20,000 donation between the two charities in honor of Griner.
“I know the opportunity, privilege and responsibility I have to make a difference in the lives of others, and I will always remain committed to that,” Griner said in a press release Friday.
On the court, the nine-time All-Star played in 31 games last season, averaging 17.5 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. The 33-year-old has expressed her intention to stay with the Mercury next season and play for Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
On Thursday, Griner was one of 16 players named to USA Basketball’s roster for the team’s upcoming training camp and two exhibition games – the first of which will be played Nov. 5 against the University of Tennessee .
