Brittney Griner: Details trickled in this week on Brittney Griner’s February

Key questions remain over the detention of Griner — a two-time Olympic gold medalist and player for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and Russian club UMMC Ekaterinburg — including the exact date of the arrest and her current whereabouts.

A social media post on February 16 provides some insight for when she may have been detained, as a photo with a fan appears to show Griner at a hotel at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport.

Four days later, UMMC Ekaterinburg took the court in a game, but Griner is nowhere to be seen in photos posted by the team on Russian social media. Griner is seen participating in EuroLeague Women games for the team just weeks earlier.

Family, friends and supporters of Griner remain in the dark about her well-being amid the backdrop of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has resulted in mounting casualties and economic sanctions.

Here is a look at how information of her arrest has unfolded so far and what remains unknown.

Weekend brings word of arrest

A spokesperson for the State Department told CNN Saturday, “We are aware of reports of a US citizen arrested in Moscow. Whenever a US citizen is arrested overseas, we stand ready to provide all appropriate consular services.”

Organizations such as the WNBA, the Mercury and the WNBA players’ union shared their concerns for Griner and their hopes for her safety.

Griner’s agent, Lindsay Kagawa Colas, said in a statement she and others knew of the arrest and confirmed that “as we work to get her home, her mental and physical health remain our primary concern.”

That night, Cherelle Griner, Brittney’s wife, posted on Instagram her appreciation for those who reached out in support.

“I understand that many of you have grown to love BG over the years and have concerns and want details. Please honor our privacy as we continue to work on getting my wife home safely,” she said.

When asked about Griner at a press conference Sunday in Moldova, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he could not share details due to privacy concerns but pointed to the State Department’s warning for Americans not to travel to Russia and for Americans there to leave the country.

The WNBA later confirmed that its other players had left Russia and Ukraine.

Momentum builds stateside to get Griner home

On Monday, the Russian Federal Customs Service confirmed the arrest of an American athlete in February yet did not identify the person by name nor the exact date of the arrest.

The customs service said the American was placed in pre-trial detention and noted a criminal case was opened for smuggling significant amounts of narcotic substances, and the offense carries a punishment of up to 10 years imprisonment.