Griner dominates thoughts at All-Star Weekend
CHICAGO
It’s WNBA All-Star Weekend but most everyone at Wintrust Arena was thinking about a player who is far away: Brittney Griner of the Phoenix Mercury.
Her continued detention in Russia is front and center as the WNBA holds one of its marquee events in Chicago for the first time. Sue Bird of the Seattle
Storm and the rest of the All-Stars wore T-shirts with Griner's name and No. 42 for practice Saturday, and the league also plans to continue its push for Griner's release during Sunday's game at the home of the defending champion Sky.
“I think for all of us, we just want to always keep BG’s name at the forefront in everything we do,” Bird said. “Yeah, every now and then we’ll answer questions about All-Star and talk about the basketball, but you’re going to see her name on the back of all of our shirts, and so like I said, it doesn’t really shift. We want it to always be there.”
Griner, 31, pleaded guilty Thursday to drug possession charges in a case that could see her sentenced to up to 10 years in prison. That same day, Bird watched her fiancée, soccer star Megan Rapinoe, receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom at the White House.
Rapinoe had BG and a rose stitched on her jacket for the occasion, and Bird sported a “WE ARE BG" pin. Bird said she didn't get any “personal time” with President Joe Biden, but she said Rapinoe "has taken the opportunities in those moments when she’s been able to speak to the President to talk about BG, so I do know that.”
Griner was first detained at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport in February, when she was returning to play basketball in Russia. Police said they found vape canisters containing cannabis oil in her luggage. Speaking through an interpreter, Griner told the court Thursday she had no intention of committing a crime and acted unintentionally because she had packed in a hurry. The trial was then adjourned until Thursday.
Griner’s guilty plea could be an effort by her and her advisers to expedite the court proceedings.
ON THE COURT
Allie Quigley of the
Chicago Sky won the three-point contest for a record fourth time Saturday, putting together a perfect final rack.
Going last in the final round, Quigley easily turned away Washington Mystics guard Ariel Atkins and Atlanta Dream guard Rhyne Howard.
New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu and Zoe Brooks, a point guard from New Jersey who has committed to North Carolina State, combined to win the Skills Challenge.