Legal Aid of North Carolina recalls Cherelle Griner as 'Brilliant, driven, creative'

ABC's Robin Roberts is sitting down with WNBA star Brittney Griner on Wednesday in an exclusive interview. Griner shares details of her time in a Russian prison .

At the time of her detainment in February 2022, Griner's wife Cherelle was a student at NCCU School of Law.

The university recognized her as the "Highest Pro Bono Honor Earner" in the 2021-2022 academic school year. Previously, she served as an extern at the Durham office of Legal Aid of North Carolina.

In a statement, Jen Story, who served as Griner's supervising attorney, spoke highly of her time:

"I have had the privilege to supervise a number of stellar interns over the years, but Cherelle truly stands out as one of the most gifted advocates (period - not just among interns) with whom I've had the good fortune to collaborate over my career. She is brilliant, driven, and creative; has an unparalleled ability to connect with clients and colleagues; and, I believe, has the ability to become a true trailblazer and thought leader in our field."

"The fact that she decided to do her externship here shows that she truly cares about the client population and the people that we are working with," added Helen Hobson, who serves as Chief Communications Officer of Legal Aid of North Carolina.

Story's work focuses on educational matters.

"We're a non-profit law firm. So we see the types of cases you wouldn't see in a typical law firm. We help people who are at or below 125% of the poverty line. So they're really working with people who have no other choice than to get our services," said Hobson.

Earlier this month, a post on NC Central's School of Law X account congratulated to the Griner's upon news they'd be welcoming a child .

WATCH: Brittney Griner's wife, in a 2022 interview with Robin Roberts

In an interview with Robin Roberts, Cherelle Griner described the last direct message she had with the basketball star, who can only communicate through letters or lawyers while in a Russian prison.