KHIMKI: A Russian court on Thursday sentenced US basketball star Brittney Griner to nine years in prison after she was found guilty of smuggling and storing narcotics, AFP heard in court. Griner will spend a "total of nine years" in a Russian penal colony", judge Anna Sotnikova told the court, adding that the 31-year-old athlete will also have to pay a fine of 1 million rubles ($16,590). Griner's defense team said Thursday it will appeal the verdict after the athlete was sentenced to nine years in prison by a Russian court. "The court completely ignored all the evidence of the defense, and most importantly, the guilty plea," the defense team said in a statement. "The verdict is absolutely unreasonable. We will certainly file an appeal."

Griner's drugs conviction and nine-year prison sentence from a Russian court on Thursday was "unjustified and unfortunate, but not unexpected," NBA and Women's NBA leaders said. "Today's verdict and sentencing is unjustified and unfortunate, but not unexpected and Brittney Griner remains wrongfully detained," said WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert and NBA commissioner Adam Silver in a joint statement. "The WNBA and NBA's commitment to her safe return has not wavered and it is our hope that we are near the end of this process of finally bringing BG home to the United States."