As WNBA star Brittney Griner continues to be held in Russia over a drug conviction, Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry acknowledged her ongoing detainment during the team’s championship ring ceremony on Tuesday — which was also Griner’s 32nd birthday.
Curry noted her birthday and told the home crowd that he wanted to “use our platform and the opportunity to shout out a very special member of the basketball community.”
“We want to continue to let her name be known and we pray,” he said. “It’s been 243 days since she’s been wrongfully incarcerated in Russia. We hope that she comes home soon, that everybody’s doing their part to get her home.”
Griner in August was sentenced to nine years in Russian prison for drug possession after police said they found vape canisters containing cannabis oil in her luggage at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport in February. An appeal will be heard October 25.
Griner on thanked her supporters through her attorneys, Maria Blagovolina and Alexander Boykov. The two spent spent several hours with Griner on Tuesday and relayed birthday wishes to her.
“Thank you everyone for fighting so hard to get me home. All the support and love are definitely helping me,” Griner said in a statement.
Blagovolina said Tuesday was a “difficult day” for Griner.
“Not only this is her birthday in jail away from her family, teammates and friends, but she is very stressed in anticipation of the appeal hearing on 25 October,” Blagovolina said.
Griner’s wife, Cherelle Griner, also marked the the eight-time all-star and Phoenix Mercury center’s birthday on Instagram.
“Happy Birthday to my favorite person! 🤍Missing your company even more today!” Cherelle Griner wrote.
Earlier this month, Cherelle Griner told “CBS Mornings” co-host Gayle King that she was afraid for the WNBA star’s future.
“It terrifies me because, I mean, when you watch movies, like, sometimes those situations don’t end well. Sometimes they never get the person back,” Cherelle Griner said.
