Brittney Griner updates: WNBA star reunites with wife

The Phoenix Mercury, Brittney Griner's WNBA team, celebrated their star player's return Thursday.

"Miraculously, mercifully, the count of days detained has ended at 294, and our friend, our sister is headed back home where she belongs," the team wrote on Twitter. "The emotions for our organization, just like for our fans and so many across the world, are those of joyous celebration, deep gratitude, grief for the time lost, and sincere hope for all families still awaiting the return of a loved one."

Griner has played her entire nine-year career with Phoenix, making eight All-Star teams and winning the WNBA title in 2014.

The team had posted each week, saying how many days Griner had been in detention in Russia and continuing to advocate for her release. Teammates like Kia Nurse, Brianna Turner, Sophie Cunningham and Shey Peddy tweeted their relief at Griner's release.

"BG's strength in this process, her unwavering belief that resolution would come, and the hope she displayed every day is what kept all of us believing this day would come," the Mercury said in its joint statement with the Phoenix Suns.

"We no longer have to Bring BG Home -- she's on her way," they concluded.

Brittney Griner is en route to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, a spokesperson at the base confirmed to ABC News. She's expected to arrive late Thursday night or early Friday, according to the base.

-ABC News' Gina Sunseri and Ben Gittleson

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert applauded the release of Griner, an eight-time league All Star, and said she showed "extraordinary courage and dignity in the face of enormous adversity."

"There has not been a day over the past ten months where we all haven’t had Brittney Griner on our minds and in our hearts and that has now turned into a collective wave of joy and relief knowing that she will soon be reunited with her family, the WNBA player community, and her friends," Engelbert wrote in a statement.

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WNBA commissioner ‘overjoyed’ after Griner release

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert discussed how she felt upon hearing the news of Brittney Griner’s release from a Russian prison.

ABCNews.com

The WNBA celebrated Griner all season, putting her No. 42 on every court and even having every player in this year's All Star Game wear her number. Many players spoke out throughout the season for her release.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, who had also consistently pushed for Griner's release, said in a statement, "Brittney has had to endure an unimaginable situation and we're thrilled that she is on her way home to her family and friends. We thank the members of the NBA and WNBA community who never wavered in their efforts to raise awareness of Brittney's unjust circumstances."

Seattle Storm star Breanna Stewart, the 2018 WNBA MVP and a teammate of Griner on both the U.S. national team and Russian squad UMMC Ekaterinburg, had posted a plea for Griner's release every day on Twitter, counting the days and tagging President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and the White House in the posts. On Thursday, she wrote, "BG is FREE!!! 294 days and she is coming home!!!"

Derek Maltz, who oversaw the Drug Enforcement Administration’s investigation of Viktor Bout, told ABC News he’s “very disgusted” that Bout, a convicted Russian arms dealer, was traded for Brittney Griner.

“It’s really upsetting to me,” he said.

In 2008, Maltz was the special agent in charge of the DEA’s special operations division whose agents took down Bout in a sting operation in Thailand.

“DEA was asked to help take this guy down because he was such a national security threat,” Maltz said.

In November 2007, Bout agreed to sell DEA informants posing as rebels in Colombia millions of dollars in weapons.

“Bout was ready to sell a weapons arsenal that would be the envy of any small country,” Maltz said.

Maltz called this “a great day for Brittney Griner and for America,” but added that he thinks the exchange for Bout will make Americans traveling abroad less safe.

“To make that exchange, all Americans are at greater risk with international travel,” Maltz said, fearing it would promote taking American citizens captive.

-ABC News’ Aaron Katersky