PENSACOLA, Fla. -- WNBA star Brittney Griner may be getting some help from Northwest Florida.
Griner has been in a Russian prison for four and a half months. She plays basketball for a pro team in Russia during the WNBA's off-season.
In February, Griner was arrested at a Russian airport and charged with cannabis possession.
On Friday, a Russian court ordered Griner to be held for another six months. She faces up to ten years in prison if she's convicted.
Boxing legend and Pensacola native Roy Jones Jr. is now offering to use his connections in Russia to get Griner freed.
Jones Jr. says it's an indirect connection he is using to try and free Brittney Griner.
Jones Jr. is passionate about using all of his influence in Russia to bring her home.
Jones Jr. has used his fists all his life. But a few months ago, a friend called him to use his name and influence to help WNBA basketball star Brittney Griner get out of Russian prison.
The Roy Jones Jr's sports affiliation with Russia began in 2015, when Russian leader Vladimir Putin made him an honorary citizen.
Jones Jr. became well known in Russia after that, with Russian television airing his fights.
Jones Jr. spent years travelling there to teach Russian youth his style of boxing.
"But if my sports affiliation with that country can aid and help get that athlete home, then I want to try and do that," Jones Jr. said.
Two months ago, Jones Jr. says he reached out to a friend in Miami who has Russian acquaintances, who are connected politically.
"So I said call them," Jones Jr. said. "What can they do? What are they willing to do for us to get Griner back?"
Jones Jr. said he got a call back from his friend in Miami.
"He said they want to do a prisoner swap," Jones Jr. said.
Jones Jr. says he called his personal attorney to contact the U.S. government and tell them that Russia was willing to a prisoner swap.
In the last few days, Jones Jr. said he got a call from a Biden Administration official.
"So he called me a couple days ago and asked me to ask my people through my friend if they were still willing to do a prison swap," Jones Jr. said.
Jones Jr. sent that message to Russia through his Miami friend. Now he's waiting to hear if talk can turn into international diplomacy.
Jones Jr. says he took a shot to bring an athlete home.
"My thing is to try and get her home," Jones Jr. said. "That's all I want to try and do."