Brittney Griner Honored By WNBA Players At All-Star Game

The WNBA players displayed their support for their team member Brittney Griner in a beautiful way. After halftime, Breanna Stewart, A’ja Wilson, and the rest of the WNBA players lined up along the sideline with the No 42 engraved on the back of their Jerseys, in honor of Brittney.

Just before the second half, when the players wore Griner’s name and No. 42 on the back of their jerseys, Ionescu and Courtney Vandersloot hugged Cherelle Griner, Brittney’s wife.

“We’re thinking of Brittney Griner at this time,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said. “She remains a huge priority for us, continues to have our full support. Fully focused on getting her home safely and as soon as possible.”

Brittney Griner was everywhere Sunday, everywhere except where the league’s best players felt she should be: playing in the marquee WNBA All-Star Game, in which Team Wilson pulled away from Team Stewart for a 134-112 victory.

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Earlier this year, on Feb 17, 2022, Brittney was detained in Russia by the Russian Federal Customs Service for allegedly having in her possession vape cartridges containing hashish oil, a banned substance in Russia, in her luggage at the Sheremetyevo airport near Moscow. Brittney’s arrest came barely a week before Russia and Ukraine had their crisis, she was in Russia to play for an international team during the WNBA’s off-season when she was arrested.

Brittney is being charged with large-scale transportation of drugs (again, she had vape cartridges in her luggage) and if convicted will likely face ten years in prison. In May, the U.S. state department classified Brittney as being “wrongfully detained,” meaning it would work more aggressively in securing her release.

Brittney Griner — What The President Said To Brittney’s Wife Cherelle

On July 6, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris spoke to Cherelle Griner over the phone in response to Brittney’s letter and reassured Cherelle “that he is working to secure Brittney’s release as soon as possible” after Brittney was arrested in Russia on suspicion of smuggling narcotics on Feb. 17, according to a readout obtained by NBC News.

“The President offered his support to Cherelle and Brittney’s family,” the statement read. “He committed to ensuring they are provided with all possible assistance while his administration pursues every avenue to bring Brittney home.”

Biden told Cherelle that he is “working to secure Brittney’s release as soon as possible, as well as the release of Paul Whelan and other U.S. nationals who are wrongfully detained or held hostage in Russia and around the world.” Additionally, he read her a “draft of the letter” that he plans to send to Brittney today.

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Brittney Griner — Cherelle Said The President’s Letter “Brought Me So Much Joy”

Cherelle, who has been communicating with her wife through letters, said she feels that Brittney decided to write to the president directly because the family has had no luck in contacting him.

“I know my wife really well. So, I feel confident in saying that I think the decision for her to feel the need to directly reach out to President Biden is because of the failed attempts that we have had as a family,” she said. “It kills me every time that, you know, when I have to write her and she’s asking, ‘Have you met with them yet?’ And I have to say no… I’m sure she is like ‘I’m going to write him and ask now because my family has tried to no avail, so I’m going to do it myself.'”

Cherelle Griner, said Friday, July 8, that President Joe Biden sent Griner a letter. “I was able to read the letter, and it brought me so much joy, as well as BG,” Cherelle said. “I believe every word that she said to him he understood. And he sees her as a person, and he has not forgotten her, which was her biggest cry in her letter.”

Cherelle added she was grateful to the Biden administration for “exhausting all efforts” to bring the basketball player home. Cherelle said the Biden administration is the first her wife ever voted for.

Be sure to catch up on everything happening with Brittney Griner right now. Come back here often for all the Brittney Griner’s spoilers, news, and updates.

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