The Boston Celtics showed their support for WNBA star Brittney Griner on Saturday by rocking T-shirts that read, “WE ARE BG” for practice and media availability. Griner is currently being detained by the Russian government, which has not allowed her to return to America for the last 107 days.
National Basketball Players Association Vice President Grant Williams explained the team’s decision saying, “The shirts were super important not only showing our support for our sister that is detained over in Russia, Brittney Griner, we just wanted to show that togetherness and love that we have throughout not only the NBA but the WNBA. She’s been a vital part of the WNBA over years past, college, and in the amount of impact she’s had on young female athletes, USA and overseas. We hope to have her back in the U.S. and reunited with her family and do what she loves and bring that love and tenacity she always plays with on the court.”
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The WNBPA had sent over the T-shirts the night before and Williams says that the Celtics signed on to wear them without hesitation.
“As a collective, we wanted to come out and show our support for Brittney Griner,” Jaylen Brown added. “She’s been over there for an extended amount of time, and we feel like enough is enough.”
Jayson Tatum remarked that he met Griner while playing for Team USA at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo and the two became friends. He says that it’s “extremely tough seeing what she’s going through.”
The Russian government claimed that they found vape cartridges containing cannabis oil on Griner while she was passing through the airport.
The Celtics will play in Game 2 of the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors on Sunday night.
Check out the Celtics’ Brittney Griner shirts below.
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