The NBA Finals are currently going on, but the NBA community is often involved in a lot of situations beyond the court. Steve Kerr spoke passionately after the horrific Uvalde shooting in a press conference, and the other major issue in recent weeks has been the detention of Brittney Griner in Russia after she was imprisoned at the airport.
Kyrie Irving urged the US Government to bring Griner home after she was detained because some vape cartridges containing traces of oil derived from cannabis were allegedly found in her luggage. The latest display of support came from the Boston Celtics, who wore t-shirts supporting Griner at practice ahead of their Game 2 matchup against the Golden State Warriors.
LeBron James shows support to Brittney Griner ❤️ #NBA #WNBA @WEAREBG #Lakers #Celtics pic.twitter.com/WX9s0GiTt9
— Kit Guinhawa (@BeatKit22) June 5, 2022
LeBron James posted on his story sharing a video of the Celtics as the NBA community amps up their efforts in trying to bring Griner back to the States. There is no concrete update on when Griner will be able to come back, but as more bigshots from the basketball community make their voice heard, it should increase the chances of the situation being resolved.
The sentence in Russia for Griner’s alleged crime carries a potential sentence of 10 years, something that would be quite the issue. Griner’s wife, Cherelle Griner, has spoken to the Secretary of State as efforts continue to secure her safe return. The shirts the Celtics were wearing in their latest demonstration had a QR code linking to a Change.org petition supporting the cause to bring Griner home.
It’s heartening to see that even amid the most important time in the NBA season, the players have all banded together to show their backing for Griner’s plight. The NBA and WNBA have been closely linked and are growing together, and this is another step in the communities getting closer together. Ultimately, though, the most important thing is that Griner can return home safely.
