Brittney Griner Makes Surprise Appearance At Phoenix MLK Day Celebration

Photo Courtesy of Instagram (@brittneyyevettegriner)

On Monday, WNBA star Brittney Griner made a surprise appearance at the MLK Day parade in Phoenix, Arizona.

Griner, who played for the Phoenix Mercury, was released from a Russian prison last month after ten months. News Onyx reported that the two-time Olympic gold medalist was freed from Russian detainment, as President Joe Biden struck a prisoner swap deal for a convicted arms dealer, Viktor Bout.

According to the NY Post, Griner joined

the MLK parade and interacted with fans, taking selfies and signing autographs. She also reportedly told the crowd that she was happy to be home and that she missed playing basketball.

The appearance at the parade has fans excited for Griner’s eventual return to the WNBA.

In a recent Instagram post, Griner shared, ‘It feels so good to be home! The last 10 months have been a battle at every turn. I dug deep to keep my faith, and it was the love from so many of you that helped keep me going. From the bottom of my heart, thank you to everyone for your help.”

She continued, “I also want to make one thing very clear: I intend to play basketball for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury this season, and in doing so, I look forward to being able to say ‘thank you’ to those of you who advocated, wrote, and posted for me in person soon.”

See Griner sporting her new hairstyle at the MLK parade:

Aziah Kamari

Aziah Kamari Pless is a writer and content creator with 5+ years of experience in freelance writer, editor and PR roles. A graduate of Florida State University, she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in English: Editing, Writing and Media. She incorporates her interests in music, fashion, media and entertainment to create versatile and compelling content.