There is growing hope that a deal will be made between Russian and American officials in the coming weeks that will see jailed American basketball star Brittney Griner returned home.
Griner's teammates will be watching for developments as they start their defence of their FIBA World Cup title in Sydney on Thursday, a title she helped them win four years ago.
Griner flew into Russia in February where she was contracted to play during the WNBA off-season but was detained when a small amount of cannabis oil was found in her vape cannisters.
A week after her arrest, Russia invaded Ukraine further deteriorating Moscow's bi-lateral relations with Washington.
Griner's detention was extended three times before a trial began in July, and a nine-year jail sentence was handed down in August.
Team USA player Ariel Atkins, making her debut at the FIBA World Cup, said Griner was foremost in players' minds going into this tournament with the aim of winning a record 11th world title.
"GB, her spirit, it transcends everything that is going on," Atkins told the ABC.
"It's definitely a tough situation and it's hard to speak about.
"This season in the WNBA has been really hard without her.
"She's a big part of what women's basketball is in the US and it's definitely pretty hard but at the end of the day we know that we are representing her.
"We want her to know that we love her and [we'll do] anything we can try to do as players to help her get home. We want her home."
Jonathan Franks, a spokesman for the Bring Our Families Home (BOFH) campaign, told The Ticket one of his clients was released after the intervention of former US ambassador to the UN, Bill Richardson, who happened to be back in Moscow for meetings last week.
The former New Mexico governor established the Richardson Center, which specialises in negotiating the release of hostages and prisoners held by hostile regimes or criminal organisations.
"He's travelled back to Russia as he did for my client, Trevor Reed, in February," Mr Franks said, referring to a US Marine who was arrested in Russia in 2019.
"It's a great thing for Brittney Griner.
"He's so good at this hostage work, he has the contacts … he was able to bring to us the knowledge and firsthand intel that the Russians were willing to make a deal for my client.
"[Mr Reed's] parents then went back to Washington at the end of March … protested in front of the White House, protested their way into the Oval Office, and 27 days later their son was home."
Late on Friday US President Joe Biden held meetings in the Oval Office with Griner's wife Cherelle and a relative of US Marine Paul Whelan, who is also locked up in Russia.
"The President held the meetings to reiterate his continued commitment to working through all available avenues to bring Brittney … home safely," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.
Griner's situation is being monitored closely by more than just the US team at the FIBA World Cup.
Australian Opals superstar Lauren Jackson previously played the Russian Superleague, and Opals coach Sandy Brondello worked with Griner when she coached WNBA side Phoenix Mercury.
"It's really impacted all of us. I coached Brittney for eight years and she's part of my family," Brondello told The Ticket.
"It's very sad, I still get quite emotional because I can't believe that this is happening and she's still there [in Russia].
"Hopefully we just keep asking the [US] government to keep doing their best to bring her home … she's in our prayers and hopefully she'll be back soon."
FIBA secretary general Andreas Zagklis said the sport's governing body was playing no role in getting Griner released but shared Brondello's sentiments.
"FIBA does not have a role, this is beyond its remit … this is a legal case … also with a number of political or geopolitical factors coming into play.
"We of course want to see one of the best players in the world, and a very good character, coming back to the courts as soon as possible.
"There are legal procedures in place, and I think also political procedures in place to ensure that sooner rather than later she will catch a basketball in her hands and perform at the highest level, we are talking about one of the best players in the world."
Griner's case has helped raise awareness of several other Americans classified as "wrongfully detained" by the US government.
Jonathan Franks said Griner's case had changed forever the way these situations would be handled.
"Brittney's case changed everything. The families became more empowered, we saw my client Trevor Reed's parents able to ride on a thermal that was created by Brittney – the intense media attention at the time that our government was telling Brittney's camp to be silent.
"And once Trevor was released it further empowered the families here in America who have gone on a quite successful pressure campaign these past couple of months trying to convince the American government to go make deals to bring their loved ones home."
The USA takes on Belgium in the first of its group games at the Sydney Superdome at 11:30am on Thursday.
Australia plays its opening game against France at 8:30pm on Thursday.
