If the U.S. gave women’s basketball the respect it deserves, the WNBA star might not be in legal jeopardy.
About the author: Jemele Hill is a contributing writer at The Atlantic. The Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner is one of the most dominant WNBA players ever. Yet now she’s in custody in Russia—a predicament that not only threatens her safety amid a major global crisis but also exposes the inferior status of professional women’s basketball in America. Russian state media recently reported that Griner is facing drug – smuggling charges after customs agents there said they discovered vaping equipment and cannabis-oil cartridges in her luggage last month at Sheremetyevo Airport, near Moscow. Griner’s arrest happened well after U.S. intelligence began warning that Russia was preparing to invade Ukraine but before the military operation began. If convicted, Griner, who was flying from New York back to Russia to continue her stint with one of the country’s premier basketball teams, could face up to 10 years in prison. For weeks, Griner’s family, her business and legal representatives, the WNBA, the NBA, and some WNBA players were aware of her troubles but, in the hope of not provoking the Russian government, initially avoided drawing attention to them. Last weekend, though, the seven-time WNBA all-star’s wife, Cherelle, posted a picture of her and Griner on Instagram. In her caption, Cherelle wrote: “I understand that many of you have grown to love BG over the years and have concerns and want details. Please honor our privacy as we continue to work on getting my wife home safely.” On Tuesday, Russian state television released a photo of Griner holding a piece of paper with her name on it while standing against a wall in a Russian police station. Griner’s plight is especially acute because she’s a Black queer woman being held by authorities in a country that is hostile toward LGBTQ people.
