WNBA star Britney Griner is finally free after being arrested this past February and sent to a Russian labor camp. Now back in the states, many were shocked to find that the famed athlete no longer had locs and was instead sporting a low cut.
According to her lawyer, Maria Blagovolina, the decision to cut her hair was due to the cold weather in Russia.
Brittney Griner’s attorney says her signature locs were cut off two weeks ago … due to Russian prison temps causing brutal hair freezing. https://t.co/iBOYefIhjJ
— TMZ (@TMZ) December 9, 2022
Per ESPN, the attorney shared that the Phoenix Mercury player shaved her hair weeks ago, saying, “It’s very cold in there and every time she washed her hair she got cold and would get a chill.”
“She should have waited until New Year’s Day,” Blagovolina added, also revealing that Griner was sick with the flu recently.
Griner was released this past Thursday (Dec. 8) after spending 10 months in custody overseas. The Houston native was sentenced to nine years behind bars after cannabis vape cartridges were found in her luggage while at an airport in Moscow.
The Biden Administration successfully performed a prison swap, trading Griner for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. Often referred to as the “Merchant of Death,” Bout was sentenced to 25 years in prison back in 2012.
Cherelle Griner, the basketball star’s wife, had been working to bring her back home for months. On Thursday morning, she was invited over to the White House where she met with Biden. The U.S. president then delivered the good news that her spouse was soon on her way back.
Moments ago I spoke to Brittney Griner.
She is safe.
She is on a plane.
She is on her way home. pic.twitter.com/FmHgfzrcDT— President Biden (@POTUS) December 8, 2022
He also took to Twitter to announce the deal.
While on her flight back home, Griner appeared to be in good spirits, simply commenting, “I’m happy.”
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