We are roughly about two months away from the 2022 WNBA season, set to begin on May 6. Last season’s finals ended with the Phoenix Mercury losing to the Chicago Sky. But, as they prepare to make another run at the chip, Mercury star Brittney Griner has ran into a heap of trouble.
The New York Times has reported that over three weeks ago in February, Griner was detained and arrested at Sheremetyevo International Airport near Moscow because vape cartridges containing hashish oil were found in her luggage. Hashish usually consists of cannabis concentrate, and cannabis is illegal in Russia.
Griner could face up to 5-10 years in prison in Russia. In recent years, Brittney had played professionally in Russia, as most WNBA players seek overseas gigs in their offseason.
What is most startling about this report is that Griner has been held in Russia for weeks before the news reached the United States.
Griner’s agent Lindsay Kagawa Colas released a statement today (Saturday, March 4) about the incident: “”We are aware of the situation with Brittney Griner in Russia and are in close contact with her, her legal representation in Russia, her family, her teams, and the WNBA and NBA. As this is an ongoing legal matter, we are not able to comment further on the specifics of her case but can confirm that as we work to get her home, her mental and physical health remain our primary concern.”
The WNBA players union also spoke on the matter, hoping that Brittney was safe and sound during this tough time: “We are aware of the situation in Russia concerning one of our members, Brittney Griner. Our utmost concern is BG’s safety and well-being. On behalf of The 144, we send our love and support. We will continue to closely monitor and look forward to her return to the U.S.”
With all that has been going on with Russia recently, primarily their conflict with neighbor country Ukraine, it is certainly worrisome for Griner and her future in the WNBA.