It’s been six days since Brittney Griner has been back on U.S. soil after spending 10 months in a Russian prison.
As anxious as media, fans, and friends have been to speak with the WNBA star, Griner has been soaking up her free time with her family and receiving mental support in a Texas military facility, CNN reports.
Brittney Griner’s agent, Lindsay Kagawa Colas, said that Griner and her wife are staying together in a residential environment on the base, but the 32-year-old is “upbeat, thankful and hopeful.”
Reportedly, the Phoenix Mercury player has reunited with her relatives for hours at a time over Texas barbecue. Compared to the foreign foods of Russia, Colas added that Griner’s food intake has her energy level “really high.”
Many were shocked to see updated pictures of Griner ahead of her return home with a new haircut. As part of her welcome-back, she also received a clean-cut to get rid of her “Russian fade,” as her friends and family jokingly described her new look.
Colas revealed that Griner originally cut her locs to prevent catching the flu after washing her hair, considering the freezing temperatures in Russia.
Despite the psychological damper that prison has probably put on her mind, Griner also found time to rekindle her love of basketball for the first time since being incarcerated. According to Colas, Brittney was happy to dunk a shot on the TX military base, but refused to shoot around on the court in prison.
“I think it’s fair to say that her picking up a ball voluntarily and the first thing being a dunk … it was really encouraging,” Colas said. “She was really excited.”
As of right now, it hasn’t been determined if Griner will return to the WNBA for the spring season. In the meantime, she has been openly receiving medical assistance for all that she has been through.
“She’s had a lot of psychological support,” Colas said as Griner has been visiting a San Antonio medical facility to help with reintegration. “The resources are very robust. It’s very supportive and very BG-centered. It’s about her developing agency.”
The outlet reports that the facility Griner is visiting is heavily focused on helping those who have been apprehended regain control over their lives after long periods of captivity. Griner and her wife have not decided how long they will stay in Texas, but “the choice is her’s,” Colas said.
Reportedly, The Griners have been searching for a new residence for security reasons.