Brittney Griner speaks out for 1st time since being released from Russian prison - ABC News

Brittney Griner thanked her household and friends and credited her religion for surviving her clip successful custody connected Friday successful her archetypal comments since being released from a Russian prison earlier this month.

"It feels truthful bully to beryllium home! The past 10 months person been a conflict astatine each turn," Griner wrote connected Instagram. "I dug heavy to support my religion and it was the emotion from truthful galore of you that helped support maine going. From the bottommost of my heart, convey you to everyone for your help."

The U.S. swapped the WNBA prima for convicted Russian arms trader Viktor Bout connected Dec. 8.

Griner's station connected Instagram included a photograph of her stepping disconnected a level successful Texas upon returning to the U.S. and a photograph of her hugging her wife, Cherelle. Griner’s cause confirmed that she has near a San Antonio subject base, wherever she was recuperating, and is connected her mode home.

Griner was taken into custody astatine a Moscow country airdrome successful February successful possession of vaping cartridges containing hashish oil, an amerciable substance successful Russia. She pleaded blameworthy successful July and was sentenced to 9 years successful situation connected Aug. 7. She appealed the sentence, but was rapidly rejected successful October.

The U.S. had been negotiating a captive swap for months. President Joe Biden yet announced connected Dec. 8 that helium had spoken to Griner from a level arsenic she flew backmost to the United States and shared photos of himself with Cherelle Griner and Vice President Kamala Harris successful the Oval Office.

Griner besides specifically thanked Biden advertisement urged the U.S. to proceed to combat to bring imprisoned ex-Marine Paul Whelan location from Russia.

"President Biden, you brought maine location and I cognize you are committed to bringing Paul Whelan and each Americans location too," she wrote. "I volition usage my level to bash immoderate I tin to assistance you. I besides promote everyone that played a portion successful bringing maine location to proceed their efforts to bring each Americans home. Every household deserves to beryllium whole."

Basketball subordinate Brittney Griner stands with U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens and her woman Cherelle aft arriving successful the U.S. pursuing her merchandise by Russia.

U.S. Dept. of State

Griner besides said she plans to play for the Phoenix Mercury erstwhile the WNBA play starts up adjacent spring.

"I besides privation to marque 1 happening precise clear: I mean to play hoops for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury this season, and successful doing so, I look guardant to being capable to accidental ‘thank you’ to those of you who advocated, wrote, and posted for maine successful idiosyncratic soon," she wrote.

The 32-year-old has played 9 seasons successful the WNBA, each with Phoenix, and made the All-Star squad 8 times. She was returning to play for her Russian club, UMMC Ekaterinburg, erstwhile she was stopped by Russian authorities.

ABC News' Deena Zaru and Henderson Hewes contributed to this report.