Brittney Griner remains in Russian custody on claims of her carrying hashish oil in her luggage. The United States has classified her as wrongfully detained, and calls are growing louder to bring the seven-time WNBA All-Star home.
Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry discussed the ongoing situation in an interview with ESPN’s Malika Andrews.
“It is an unfortunate situation, it’s a tragedy,” Curry said. “She needs to be home. She needs to be safe. She needs to be with her family.”
Andrews asked Curry about the notion that the U.S. government would have enacted a swifter response if an NBA star such as himself was the person detained. While he acknowledged “there’s something to that,” Curry said the focus now should be on raising awareness and making sure “all hands are on deck” to ensuring Griner’s safety.
“Right now, it’s just about getting her home and everybody joining that effort, joining that front to make sure she’s talked about … I know those efforts are ongoing, and hopefully there’ll be some positive end to this story.”
The WNBA had led the effort to bring more attention to Griner’s detainment in hopes on pushing the White House into action. Along with Curry, other NBA stars such as LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony have used their platforms to spread the message on social media. The Boston Celtics also wore “We are BG” shirts while practicing during their NBA Finals series against Golden State.