Basketball star Brittney Griner was sentenced to 9 years in Russian prison after being convicted on drug charges by a Moscow court Thursday.⁠ ⁠ Prosecutors asked for a sentence of 9 1/2 years after closing arguments in a lengthy trial that has underscored frayed relations between the United States and Russia since the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine.⁠ ⁠ After Thursday’s verdict, attention will turn to the potential for a prisoner swap between Washington and Moscow. U.S. officials are not expecting rapid movement in the effort to get Griner released, but will keep pressing the issue, a U.S. official told @nbcnews.⁠ ⁠ More at the link in bio.⁠ ⁠ 📷️ Kirill Kudryavtsev / @afpphoto