Hoops fans were so moved by Brittney Griner's tears after Team USA won gold

Team USA women’s basketball’s chaotic ending to winning another gold medal had so many iconic notes. You had incredibly clutch fourth-quarter heroics from Kahleah Copper. There was, of course, an unfortunate stroke of luck for France’s Gabby Williams, punctuated by ball-knowing confidence from Breanna Stewart.

But the best moment of all might have come from Brittney Griner during the medal ceremony. The Phoenix Mercury center was seen crying during the American national anthem, moved to heartwarming emotions after she received her gold medal.

And if you know anything about what Griner has been through over the last couple of years, you couldn’t help but cry with her.

Roughly two years ago at this time, Griner was being erroneously held in a Russian prison over drug smuggling charges because of a medical marijuana prescription from the United States. She would later finally be released about 10 months later, but not after losing nearly a year of her life while also in the middle of her basketball playing career.

For such a heartbreaking story to follow at the time, it made it beyond rewarding to see Griner get emotional over winning another gold medal for her country.

Hoops fans felt so great for Griner as she cried after remembering everything she’s been through