Brittney Griner's Appeal In Russia Denied, 9-Year Prison Sentence Upheld

Brittney Griner's 9-year prison sentence in Russia has been upheld ... a court just denied the WNBA star's appeal at a lengthy hearing on Tuesday morning.

The 32-year-old did not appear in person for the proceedings -- but was present via a videoconferencing feed from inside of a cell. She looked downtrodden throughout the process as cameras caught her both sitting and standing behind bars.

Griner and her team of attorneys had hoped officials would overturn a previous ruling in the case, or at the very least, reduce the sentence. They argued the punishment did not fit the crime.

Griner's team, however, had anticipated this outcome. On Monday, her attorneys admitted in a statement that they did not "expect any miracles to happen."

It's unclear if Griner now has any further avenues to appeal the decision.

As we reported, the basketball player has been in custody in Russia since February -- after she was accused of bringing hashish oil in her luggage at a Moscow airport.

At her trial, she pleaded guilty to the charges -- but insisted she did not intend to break the law.

She was initially sentenced in August.

The United States has called Griner wrongfully detained ... and multiple U.S. officials have said they've offered Russia a significant deal involving a prisoner swap to get her home.