Two WNBA players were among a dozen Americans who played in Russia after Brittney Griner’s arrest

NEW YORK (AP) — Two WNBA players were among a dozen Americans who chose to play in Russia last offseason, a decision that New York Liberty forward Kayla Thornton said , raised eyebrows after Brittney Griner’s incarceration in 2022.

“A lot of people tried to question my decision and asked me, ‘Are you sure?’ “, Thornton told the Associated Press. “My family and I prayed about it and that’s where my heart went, and I went for it. My mother is a pastor. She believes that God will take care of you. She prayed every night and obviously nothing bad happened.

Other Americans were not so lucky. Russia is known to hold a number of Americans in its prisons, including corporate security executive Paul Whelan and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich. The U.S. government designated both men as wrongfully detained and attempted to negotiate their release.

A US soldier was recently arrested in Russia and charged with theft, according to two US officials. Cynthia Smith, an Army spokeswoman, confirmed that a soldier was arrested Thursday in Vladivostok, a major military and commercial port in the Pacific, for criminal misconduct.

WNBA players regularly play in international leagues during the league’s offseason. Russia has one of the highest paying leagues and was the favored destination for top players like Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird, Breanna Stewart and Griner. He lost his privileged status following Griner’s arrest and 10 months of imprisonment, as well as the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.

“What she went through, my heart goes out to her,” Thornton said of Griner’s plight.

But despite what happened to Griner, Thornton and Monique Billings, a forward for the Los Angeles Sparks, traveled to Russia and played for Dynamo Kursk. Billings, 28, is entering her seventh WNBA season. She was not available for comment for this story.

It’s unclear how much the WNBA duo earned in Russia, but they had company: Several other former WNBA players were in the league, including Megan Walker and Bria Holmes.

Griner, a Phoenix Mercury center entering her 12th year in the WNBA, said she has no ill will toward Americans playing in Russia. She is more concerned about their safety.

“I have a former teammate who plays on my old team,” Griner told the AP. “I’m not mad or angry. I worry about them because the threat is there. They can do whatever they want there. I ask them to be careful. Let everyone know where he is at all times.

Thornton said she mostly just went between the gym and her house, so she didn’t interact with many people outside of her team. Her teammates were very friendly and Dynamo Kursk officials made her feel safe, she said.

“I stay alone. It’s rare that I go out. I hung out with some of the girls on the team, they were very welcoming and understanding of our situation,” said Thornton, 31, who is entering her 10th season in the WNBA. “Their families made us dinner. It was a blessing.

Thornton, who has also performed in Egypt, South Korea and Italy, said she ventured out several times to see the ballet and see the Kremlin when her team played in Moscow. She was far from the city when a terrorist attack killed more than 130 people in late March.

“We heard about it, kind of like an eye-opener to be aware of your surroundings,” Thornton said. “I don’t go out like that. I am a discreet person. All I really did was go to the gym and go home. I didn’t go out too much. I took care of my things and went home.

Thornton said overall she had a positive experience.

“I think it’s like when you go abroad, any other place, everyone has this (thought) about it,” she said. “It’s just an ordinary country. I understand the politics, but it was normal.

Thornton doesn’t know if she will return to Russia next year.

“At the moment I’m not thinking about it,” she said. “This season is over and I’m focusing on the Liberty.”

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Associated Press writer Lolita C. Baldor in Washington contributed to this report.

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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball