WNBA star Brittney Griner opened up about the dark thoughts that plagued her during her detainment in a Russian prison, revealing in an interview with ABC that she had contemplated suicide. Griner, who faced dire conditions after being arrested on drug-related charges in February 2022, admitted to Robin Roberts, "I wanted to take my life more than once in the first weeks," according to Fox10 Phoenix. The basketball star was detained for nearly 10 months before a high-profile prisoner exchange set her free.

In a harrowing account of her time behind bars, Griner also disclosed that she was forced to write a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin. "They made me write this letter. It was in Russian," she told ABC, "I had to ask forgiveness and thanks from their so-called great leader. I didn’t want to do it, but at the same time I wanted to come home." Griner's ordeal coincided with heightened tensions between the United States and Russia due to the invasion of Ukraine, and her release was achieved in exchange for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.

During the same special ABC News report on 20/20, Griner opened up about the conditions she faced and the fear of never returning to her homeland. "I did. I didn’t think I could get through what I needed to get through," Griner said as she reflected on her initial thoughts of suicide, as reported by NBC News. Despite the circumstances, thoughts of how her loved ones would react helped her dismiss those dark thoughts.

The 33-year-old athlete, who has also won two Olympic gold medals, was arrested after Russian authorities found vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage—a substance that is legal in Arizona, where she plays for the Phoenix Mercury. Griner explained that she had unintentionally packed the substance as she rushed to the airport. 

Griner's upcoming memoir, "Coming Home," set to release on May 7, details her detention in Russia and her subsequent perspective since returning to the States. The WNBA season is set to begin on May 14, with Griner rejoining the Phoenix Mercury once again.