According to a report from Al-Jazeera, Brtitney Griner has been named as an honorary starter in the WNBA All-Star Game.
During each season of Brittney’s career in which there has been an All-Star Game, she has been selected as an All-Star.
It is not difficult to imagine that if BG [Griner] were here with us this season, she would once again be selected and would, no doubt, show off her incredible talents. So, it is only fitting that she be named as an honorary starter today and we continue to work on her safe return to the US
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert
Griner has been detained in Russia since February 17 when authorities at an airport outside of Moscow discovered vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in the WNBA star’s bag. Griner has traveled overseas to play basketball following the WNBA season, which was she was in process of returning from her latest run.
In May the State Department designated her as wrongfully detained , which put her case under the presidential envoy for hostage affairs’ supervision.
Griner’s protracted detention( which Russian state run news agency Tass reported last week was extended until at least July 2) has only served to heighten tensions as it unfortunately comes against the backdrop of Russia’s war with Ukraine and further complicated by the United States financial and equipment support of Ukraine. These factors congregated in a unfortunate storm to make navigating this quickly through diplomatic means, laborious to say the least.
Monday a Kremlin spokesman said Griner was not a hostage but guilty of drug offenses. Wednesday a coalition of human rights organization called on President Biden to “make a deal” to bring Griner home.
The WNBA All-Star Game will take place on July 10 in Chicago.
