On Wednesday night, before the Brooklyn Nets’ home opener against the New Orleans Pelicans, All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving addressed the crowd at the Barclays Center before the start of the season’s marathon.
But he had a message of more than encouragement to his Nets loyalists: Irving wants President Biden to return WNBA star Britney Griner to the state.
Griner, who is still imprisoned in Russia after being arrested for putting an e-cigarette canister containing cannabis oil in his luggage while traveling through an airport near Moscow in February, is celebrating his 32nd birthday. A message was issued on Tuesday.
“Thank you for fighting so hard to get me home,” her rep shared. “All the support and love will definitely help me.”
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Irving wants to do more so Griner can return to the United States.
“We are grateful to share this floor together. We are all brothers. But the bigger picture of what is happening in the world is our sister Britney Griner’s freedom. Please,” Irving said. said to the cheering crowd. We wouldn’t be performing to our full potential if we didn’t support it.”
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Last week, Griner’s attorney said she was becoming increasingly nervous about the possibility of her release.
In an interview with The New York Times, Alexander Boykov said, “She’s still not entirely convinced America will be able to bring her home.” and I fear that he will have to serve his full sentence here in Russia.”
The Biden administration has reportedly discussed possible prisoner swaps to free her and another American held in a Russian prison.
Irving is one of many public figures who have spoken out about the Griner situation. Her wife, Sherrel Griner, helped create her #WeAreBG movement in hopes that President Biden and others would feel pressure to let her go home.
Britney Griner releases a message on her 32nd birthday
The WNBA also posted a message saying, “We will never forget you and will never stop fighting for you.”
Tennis legend Billie Jean King also issued a statement on Twitter on Tuesday to mark Griner’s birthday, saying, “She spent her birthday in a Russian prison where she spent eight months illegally detained. Let’s keep insisting on her release and bring her home.”
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Griner was sentenced to nine years in direct prison in August. She plans to appeal on her October 25th.