Brittney Griner spotted smiling at the Super Bowl after release from Russian prison

A relaxed, smiling Brittney Griner was seen smiling at the Super Bowl after taking in the PGA Tour in Phoenix

Brittney Griner has been spotted at the Super Bowl, cheering on the Philadelphia Eagles with her wife Cherelle Griner.

Earlier in the weekend, Ms Griner made just her second appearance in public after her dramatic release from a Russian prison in December.

The WNBA star, 32, appeared happy and relaxed as she waved to the crowd at the 16th hole of the Phoenix Golf Open in Scottsdale, Arizona, on Saturday, images captured by the Associated Press showed.

A crowd of nearly 200,000 joined Ms Griner in watching top golfers including Jon Rahm and Rory McIlroy in action.

They included an estimated 17,000 who packed into stands surrounding the 16th hole, which the New York Times describes as the “loudest hole on the rowdiest stop on the PGA Tour”. 

Last month, Ms Griner turned out for the  Martin Luther King Jr Day march in Phoenix.

The two-time Olympic gold medallist is still recovering from her 10-month ordeal in Russian custody after she was arrested for possession of a small amount of cannabis oil at a Moscow Airport last February.

Last week, her close friend and teammate Diana Taurasi revealed she had elected to skip a training camp with the national woman’s basketball team in Minnesota.

Ms Taurasi told the Associated Press she had been working out and training with Ms Griner as she eases her way back into competitive basketball.

“Every single day we suffered and hoped she’d be back and not until I saw her, did I really believe it,” Ms Taurasi said.

“And just to see her smile, just to see her free, was really emotional for everyone.”

Brittney Griner acknowledges the crowd at the Phoenix Open Golf on Saturday (Associated Press)

Ms Griner has said she intends to return to play for the Phoenix Mercury when the WNBA season begins in May, but remains a free agent.

The 6’9” centre was sentenced to nine years in a Russian penal colony after she was found guilty of drug possession at a show trial in Moscow in October.

After months of negotiations between the US and Russia, Ms Griner was released on 8 December in a contentious exchange for Viktor Bout, a notorious weapons trafficker dubbed the “Merchant of Death”.

Ms Griner has said she wants to become an advocate for other Americans imprisoned in Russia, and has spoken out several times since her release about her hopes that former Marine Paul Whelan will be freed.

Phoenix also hosts Sunday’s Super Bowl 57 between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs.