The Nets season started off with a special message from Kyrie Irving to the fans, and a call for President Joe Biden to bring imprisoned WNBA star Brittney Griner home.
Griner has been held in Russia over a drug conviction and both NBA and WNBA stars have tried to rally U.S. politicians to do more to free her. Irving made his plea during a message to Nets fans at Barclays Center for the season opener against the New Orleans Pelicans.
“With all of that being said I appreciate us being able to share this floor together, all of us as brothers, but the big picture that’s going on in the world is free our sister Brittney Griner,” Irving said from center court. “Please. Please. POTUS do your job. Everybody do your job. Please bring our sister home. We wouldn’t be doing our jobs to the best of our ability if we didn’t stand on what we believe in.”
Kyrie Irving delivers a pregame message to the fans, including a call for @POTUS to bring Brittney Griner home. pic.twitter.com/eRyhMsEez9
— Christian Arnold (@C_Arnold01) October 19, 2022
Griner has been held in Russia since February after she had been detained for drug possession after police found vape canisters containing cannabis oil in her luggage at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport. She was sentenced to nine years in prison in August and an appeal will take place on Oct. 25.
Irving was the second NBA star in the past two days to make a public appeal for Griner’s return. On Tuesday during the Golden State Warriors’ ring Ceremony, Steph Curry made mention of Griner who was turning 32 that day.
“We want to continue to let her name be known and we pray,” Curry 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 did release a statement of thanks through her lawyer on Tuesday.
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“Thank you everyone for fighting so hard to get me home. All the support and love are definitely helping me,” she said.
The Biden administration has been in touch with Russian officials within the pas few days about trying to secure Griner’s release, according to a report from CNN. The United States offered a prisoner swap back in June, but Russia has not tendered a serious counteroffer, according to the report.
