Mercury opens season without Griner
PHOENIX » The purple-and-orange throng snaked its way through the maze of barricades that fill downtown Phoenix these days, excitement growing with each step toward the Footprint Center.
Their voices, no longer drowned out by traffic and tractors, created the type of palpable buzz inside the arena that only a season opener can generate.
Underneath flowed a current of fear and sorrow for the one person missing.
Brittney Griner, a seven-time All-star and key cog in two trips to the WNBA Finals, was not with the Phoenix Mercury for their opener against the Las Vegas Aces Friday night. As the Mercury and the rest of the WNBA moved forward into the season, Griner nears the three-month mark of her detention in Russia, with no timetable for her release.
“It’s horrible what happened to her, knowing as well as us fans have gotten to know here,” said MJ Hill, a Mercury season-ticket holder since the WNBA’S first season in 1997. “She’s a kind and gentle person, and it’s horrible to think about where she is and what she’s going through.”
Griner was detained Feb. 17 after authorities at the Moscow airport said they found vape cartridges that allegedly contained oil derived from cannabis in her luggage, which could carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. The Biden administration determined Griner is being wrongfully detained and she has a hearing set for May 19.
The WNBA and and the U.S. government have worked toward Griner’s release, but have yet to make any headway with the Russian government.
“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 said in Seattle.
The WNBA and Mercury were at first reticent to say anything in fear of exacerbating Griner’s situation, but have become more vocal as her detention has spanned longer.
Several players have spoken out about Griner’s detention, including Seattle Storm forward Breanna Stewart, who has tweeted daily about her.
“BG is on my mind every day,” Stewart said before the Storm’s game against the Minnesota Lynx Friday night. “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.”
The WNBA is acknowledging Griner this season with a floor decal with “BG” and her No. 42 in all 12 arenas across the league as she continues to be detained.
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.
Mercury players wore black tshirts with “We Are BG” in white letters during warmups and introductions.
Guard Sophie Cunningham addressed the crowd before the game against Las Vegas.
“We’re still hopeful she’ll be back with us soon, but until then we’ll be kicking butt and winning games,” she said.