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US WNBA basketball superstar Brittney Griner arrives to a hearing at the Khimki Court, outside Moscow on June 27, 2022. – Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medallist and WNBA champion, was detained at Moscow airport in February on charges of carrying in her luggage vape cartridges with cannabis oil, which could carry a 10-year prison sentence. (Photo by KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty Images)
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US WNBA basketball superstar Brittney Griner arrives to a hearing at the Khimki Court, outside Moscow on June 27, 2022. – Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medallist and WNBA champion, was detained at Moscow airport in February on charges of carrying in her luggage vape cartridges with cannabis oil, which could carry a 10-year prison sentence. (Photo by KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty Images)
Irrespective of whether someone is a basketball fan or not, Brittney Griner is a name that resonates with millions around the world. The Phoenix Mercury star made headlines worldwide after a Russian court convicted her of drug charges.
Officials found Griner guilty of carrying illegal substances in her luggage earlier this year. This started a long legal procedure and a Russian court recently sentenced her to 9 years in prison.
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Needless to say, this has urged celebrities around the world to give their opinions regarding her situation. While some are urging the Government to help her, some feel she should serve her time in Russia.
Interestingly enough, Griner has been playing the WNBA off-season in Russia for quite some time. This is due to the low wages the WNBA players are signed upon. Griner’s playing in Russia and the low wages was recently touched upon by eminent media personality and comedian, Trevor Noah.
Noah said, “We all know Russia doesn’t care about what Brittney Griner did…. Now, if we had more time, we could talk about how this whole thing could have been avoided if the WNBA paid their stars enough that they did not have to go and play in Russia during the off-season to make money.”
To put things into perspective, the highest-paid player in the WNBA is Diana Taurasi, with a salary of around $228,094. On the other hand, the highest-paid player in the NBA is Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry who earns $48,070,014 yearly.
How good was Brittney Griner in the WNBA?
There is no denying that Brittney Griner was one of the best players in the WNBA. The 6-foot-8 inch star made a name for herself in college, which led to the Phoenix Mercury drafting her as the 1st overall pick.
In her 9 seasons in the league, she has 8 All-Star selections. Moreover, she averages 17.7 points, 1.8 assists, and 7.6 rebounds which truly makes her one of the best players in the league.
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What are your thoughts regarding the Brittney Griner situation? Let us know in the comments down below.
Written by
Edited by
Pritam Priyedarshi