PHOENIX (AP) — The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) is honoring Brittney Griner for her charity work.
WNBA officials made the announcement Friday, saying the Phoenix Mercury Center received this WNBA Cares Community Assist Award.
She volunteers with Bring Our Families Home and the BG's Heart & Sole Shoe Drive. Bring Our families Home highlights Americans who are held hostage or detained overseas.
Griner has a personal connection to after Russian authorities detained her for illegally having cannabis oil in their country. She spent nearly 10 months in Russian custody for drug charges, until the U.S. exchanged her for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.
As for the shoe drive, Griner started that in 2016. She has donated two thousand pairs of shoes to people experiencing homelessness in Phoenix.
In honor of Griner, the WNBA is splitting a $20,000 donation between the two charities.
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