One of the WNBA’s biggest stars has gotten into some big trouble overseas.
Jonathan Abrams of the New York Times reported on Saturday that seven-time WNBA All-Star and two-time scoring champion Brittney Griner has been detained in Russia. Officials reportedly found vape cartridges containing hashish oil in Griner’s luggage during a screening at Sheremetyevo International Airport, a major airport in Moscow.
The Russian Federal Customs Service stated that the incident took place in February but only revealed the news of Griner’s detention on Saturday, per Abrams. This raises the possibility that Griner has already been in custody for several days at least.
Griner plays for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury but also plays overseas when the WNBA is out of season. She has been playing for Russian team UMMC Ekaterinburg since 2014.
Both the WNBA and the Mercury released statements on Griner’s situation.
WNBA statement on Brittney Griner: “Brittney Griner has the WNBA’s full support and our main priority is her swift and safe return to the United States.”
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) March 5, 2022
— Phoenix Mercury (@PhoenixMercury) March 5, 2022
Abrams’ report adds that Russian officials have opened a criminal case into the large-scale transportation of drugs, an offense that can carry a sentence of up to ten years in jail.
Griner was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 WNBA Draft and has remained one of the league’s top stars throughout her career. She has won two scoring titles, two Defensive Player of the Year Awards, and a WNBA championship with the Mercury in 2014. This is not Griner’s first brush with the law though. She was arrested in 2015 on assault charges.
Photo: Mar 12, 2017; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner in attendance of the Phoenix Suns game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
