On Tuesday, Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry paid tribute to WNBA star Brittney Griner, who is being held in Russian custody as she celebrates her 32nd birthday.
Curry, the NBA’s all-time leader in three-point field goals, pleaded with the audience present at his team’s ring ceremony on Tuesday night to remember Griner’s name.
The Warriors opened the 2022–23 NBA regular season against the Los Angeles Lakers after defeating the Boston Celtics in six games the previous year to win their fourth league championship in eight years.
Curry declared, “We want to keep using our platform and this chance to scream out a very special part of the basketball community. She is 32 years old today, which marks Brittney Griner’s birthday.
The two-time league MVP continued, “We want to keep spreading the word about her and we pray that it’s been 243 days since she was imprisoned in Russia illegally. “Everyone is doing their part to get her home, and we hope she returns home soon.”
Curry’s comments follow a Kremlin official’s statement on Sunday that Griner’s case isn’t a top priority for Russia and that the United States has other matters to prioritize.
Yury Ushakov, a senior advisor to Russian President Vladimir Putin, told a Russian media outlet that Biden “is thinking first and foremost about the forthcoming midterm elections” in these difficult circumstances. He continues stressing the necessity to return (Griner) home, but that isn’t the main problem we are focused on.
Since her arrest in February, days after Russia’s unjustified invasion of neighboring Ukraine, the 31-year-old Phoenix Mercury star has been detained in Russia.
Griner, a seven-time WNBA All-Star and Olympic gold medalist, pleaded guilty to the accusations against her and was given a nine-year prison sentence by a Russian court.
Griner’s case, along with that of another detained American, former U.S. Marine Paul Whalen, has been given significant priority by the Biden administration because it is believed that both are being held illegally in the nation.
Cherelle Griner, Griner’s wife, recently expressed her fear that her husband won’t return to the United States in an appearance with “CBS Mornings” earlier this month.
