Watch: Cherelle Griner celebrates wife Brittney Griner's 1st birthday since Russian prison release in intimate setting at $900K home

Brittney Griner finally got to celebrate her birthday again in the comfort of her home following her release from prison in Russia, and she had her partner Cherelle to enjoy with.

In an Instagram reel on Wednesday, Cherelle Griner shared a video of her wife Brittney carrying balloons bearing her initials when they celebrated her 33rd birthday at their home in Phoenix.

Cherelle Griner said in the reel:

"Happy birthday my love! God did his big one with you. I couldn’t ask for a better soul to do life with! Celebrating you is easy and to love you is an honor."

According to a December 2022 report by the New York Post, Brittney Griner bought her current home for $475,000 in 2018. The said property, as of December last year, is valued at around $900,000.

Griner's birthday this year is a far cry from how she celebrated, if she indeed did so, last year as she had to spend her day in prison due to alleged possession of medicinal marijuana, which remains prohibited in Russia.

Recapping Brittney Griner's rough 2022

The year 2022 in general was a tough one for Brittney Griner. Russian police arrested her on February 17 of that year after the federal customs service discovered vape cartridges containing cannabis oil.

Some United States officials expressed concern that Griner, a WNBA superstar for the Phoenix Mercury, could be used as a "high-profile hostage" by Russia especially since the arrest came amid the then-brewing conflict with Ukraine.

Griner would never get to play for Phoenix in last year's WNBA season due to her imprisonment.

On Aug. 4, 2022, the Russian court found Griner guilty of drug smuggling and was ordered to be imprisoned for nine years.

However, both the United States and Russia agreed on a "prisoner swap" in which Brittney Griner would be sent back to America in exchange for arms dealer Viktor Bout. The swap and the consequent release were formalized on Dec. 8.

Brittney Griner finally got to play again for the Phoenix Mercury this past WNBA season, leading the team in points at 17.5 points per game and 6.3 rebounds per game.

However, the Mercury bombed out this season, only winning nine out of 40 games and crashing to the bottom of the team standings.

Still, Griner made the All-Star Game, finishing with a game-high 13 rebounds in a 143-127 win by Team Stewart.