WNBA star Brittney Griner is set to face one of the most important moments of her life in a matter of days. The eight-time WNBA All-Star recently celebrated her 32nd birthday in Russia after being sentenced to nine years in prison under drug possession and smuggling charges. Griner finally broke her silence weeks after it was reported that she was going through the ‘absolute weakest moment of her life.’?

The 2014 WNBA championship winner was detained by the Russian authorities at the Moscow Airport in February after vape cartridges filled with cannabis oil were found in her luggage. Griner met with her lawyers on her birthday as she prepared for the appeal hearing scheduled for October 25.

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The same day, NBA kicked off the 2022-23 season on October 18 as Stephen Curry and the whole NBA world came in support of Brittney Griner. The Phoenix Mercury center finally released a statement through her agent, Lindsay Kangwa Colas.

Brittney Griner issues a statement on her birthday

Brittney Griner expressed her gratitude to her family, friends, and the American government, who are doing all they can to bring her home. BG said,?“Thank you everyone for fighting so hard to get me home. All the support and love are definitely helping me.” Moreover, Griner’s lawyer, Maria Blagovolina. revealed that the WNBA star ‘did smile’ on her birthday as she found herself all alone in a foreign country.

Brittney Griner’s wife Cherelle Griner and the WNBA came together to launch the #WeAreBG social campaign. They wanted to remind BG that she had not been forgotten. Moreover, Griner’s family, her teammates, the NBA world, and fans supported the campaign on Twitter to uplift BG’s spirits. Thus, knowing that everyone back home is fighting for her return would have certainly inspired her.

Stephen Curry & NBA World Stand Together with Griner

The four-time NBA champ Stephen Curry made a heartfelt gesture to show his support for Brittney Griner during the NBA opening night on October 18th. The Golden State Warriors guard interrupted his ring celebration speech before the game against the Lakers to talk about BG. Steph suggested that the NBA wanted to use its platform to keep talking about Griner. He reminded everyone that Griner is an important member of the basketball community. Curry said, “Brittney Griner’s birthday is today, she’s 32.”

Speaking on behalf of the NBA, Curry reckoned that everyone wanted to continue to let her name be known. He pointed out that it had been 243 days since Griner had been wrongfully detained in Russia. Steph continued,?“We hope that she comes home soon and that everybody’s doing their part to bring her home.”

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Brittney Griner is fighting the battle for her freedom in Russia. It must have been quite motivating for her to know that she is not alone. BG now faces a crucial day that will define her fate during the appeal hearing on October 25.