It has been more than 100 days since Brittney Griner was first arrested in Russia. Following her detainment, fellow WNBA players have voiced their concerns over her conditions.
According to the Associated Press, Griner has been able to receive hundreds of emails sent to an account set up by her agent.
However, access to those emails is no easy feat. The electronic messages are reportedly vetted by Russian officials before they are printed out and distributed to Griner in bunches, courtesy of her lawyer. She also does not have access to the account, but is able to send her responses the old school way- by pen and paper.
From there, Griner’s lawyers take photos of her responses to send back to the senders via email. Additionally, she has the option to verbally respond – if she does not have immediate access to paper – but must count on her legal team to relay the messages.
“When she responded to my second letter it blew me away,” said Los Angeles Sparks forward Amanda Zahui B. “I was like she responded!! In my third letter, I was like ‘hey best friend, we are officially best friends now.'”
Zahui B. is among the many players in the league who have expressed that they want Griner to know that she is loved and supported during this time.
The 31-year-old has now been detained in Russia for 105 days following a Feb. 17 arrest after vape cartridges that contained cannabis oil were allegedly found in her luggage at an airport near Moscow.
According to Griner’s agent, the letters have afforded her the opportunity to stay connected to her WNBA family.
Messages are filled with everything from prayers to kind thoughts and even Sudoku puzzles.
“She jokes in her letters. I don’t know how she does it with what she’s going through. She’s an amazing soul,” Zahui B. continued “She brings light in a situation like this. I don’t think a lot of people could manage to do that.”