Brittney Griner detained in Russia as Mercury opens season

PHOENIX –

Friday night, the Phoenix Mercury played the Las Vegas Aces at home to open the season. Brittney Griner was the only player who wasn’t prominently in everyone’s thoughts:

The Mercury and the rest WNBA advanced into the season. Griner is nearing the end of her three-month detention in Russia. There is no timeline for Griner’s release.

“It’s horrible what happened to her, knowing as well as us fans have gotten to know here,” saidMJ Hill is a Mercury season ticket holder since 1997, the first season of the WNBA. “She’s a kind and gentle person, and it’s horrible to think about where she is and what she’s going to.”

Griner was arrested Feb. 17 by Moscow authorities saidThey found in Griner’s luggage vape cartridges containing oil derived from marijuana. This could result in a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment. Griner was wrongfully held by the Biden administration and a hearing has been set for May 19.

“There is not a day that goes by that I’m not working on this in some way, talking with a variety of folks at the U.S. government, her agent, family, others who are experts in this area who can help us navigate a very complex and quite frankly, like I said at our draft, unimaginable situation,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert saidSeattle

The WNBA is acknowledging Griner with a floor decal with “BG” and her No. 42 in all 12 arenas of the league, as she continues being held.

Washington placed its decal on the blue sideline between the benches at the Mystics’ arena in the nation’s capital, placed next to a “Black Lives Matter” decal. Some Indiana Fever substitutes would sit on the ground near the “BG42” while waiting for a break in the action so they could enter the game.

“We all have concern for the situation, something that normally would be handled a lot quicker,” Washington coach Mike Thibault said. ”(It) certainly hasn’t been and I think everybody sees what’s happening. She’s in everybody’s thoughts.”

Mercury players wore black t-shirts with “We Are BG” in white letters during warmups and introductions. Before the game against Las Vegas, Sophie Cunningham, the guard, addressed the crowd.

“We’re still hopeful she’ll be back with us soon, but until then we’ll be kicking butt and winning games,” she said.

Griner, a 6-foot-9 center, and Diana Taurasi, WNBA career scoring leader, were key cogs in a Mercury team that won the 2014 WNBA championship and reached the finals last season, losing to Chicago Sky.

Griner, a six-time All-Star who won consecutive WNBA Defensive Players of the Year awards in 2014-15, is the most prolific WNBA dunker. She was a two-time gold medalist and had one of her best seasons in her nine-year WNBA history in 2021. She led the WNBA’s blocked shots, scoring, rebounding, and scoring categories.

Griner was expected again to play a crucial role for Mercury this season, after the team added Tina Charles (and Diamond DeShields) to its roster.

“BG is on my mind every day,” Seattle Storm forward Breanna Stewart said. “You have these moments where you just can’t believe that she’s still in Russia wrongfully detained. Hoping we get her home. The WNBA isn’t the WNBA without BG.”