A look at Brittney Griner’s career on, off basketball court

By The Associated Press

A timeline of key events in Brittney Griner’s career on and off the basketball court:

Oct. 18, 1990: Brittney Griner was born in Houston.

2009: Led Nimitz High School to Texas 5A girls basketball state championship game where they lost. The 6-foot-7 star dunked 52 times as a senior, including seven times in one game against Aldine High School.

2009-10: Set NCAA single season record with 223 blocks as a freshman at Baylor. Became the seventh women’s basketball player to ever dunk in college.

2011-12: Led Baylor to a 40-0 record and earned Associated Press Player of the Year honors averaging 23.2 points, 9.4 rebounds and 5 blocks.

April 3, 2012: Had 26 points, 13 rebounds and 5 blocks in NCAA title game as Baylor beat Notre Dame 80-61. She earned Most Outstanding Player honors of the Final Four.

April 15, 2013: Was No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft, selected by the Phoenix Mercury.

2014: Helped Phoenix to 29-5 record — most wins in WNBA history — and the franchise’s third league championship.

Aug. 14, 2014: Got engaged to fellow WNBA player Glory Johnson. Eight months later, they were both arrested on charges of assault and disorderly conduct after police responded to a fight between them.

May 15, 2015: Griner and Johnson were suspended seven games by the WNBA after pleading guilty to disorderly conduct charges.

2015 and 2016: Played in Russia for UMMC Ekaterinburg and won consecutive championships with that team. Has played in the winter with Ekaterinburg ever since.

Aug. 20, 2016: Helped lead U.S. to sixth consecutive Olympic gold medal at Rio Games.

June 18, 2019: Married Cherelle Griner.

Aug. 8, 2021: Helped U.S. win seventh consecutive Olympic gold medal at Tokyo Games. She averaged 16.5 points to lead the U.S.

Feb. 17, 2022: Arrested for drug possession at airport outside of Moscow while returning to her team in Russia from a FIBA World Cup qualifier break. Customs officials said they found vape canisters with cannabis oil in her luggage.

July 1, 2022: Trial started in court outside of Moscow.

July 7, 2022: Pled guilty to drug possession charges, saying: “There was no intent. I didn’t want to break the law.”

Aug. 4, 2022: Sentenced to nine years in a Russian prison for drug possession.

Oct 25, 2022: Appeal of the prison sentence for drug possession was rejected by a Russian court.

Nov. 17, 2022: Griner was transferred to a penal colony in the western Russian region of Mordovia.

Dec. 8, 2022: Russia frees Griner in high-level prisoner exchange for arms dealer Viktor Bout.

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