As Brittney Griner’s wrongful detention in Russia has encouraged the sports world in support of the WNBA star’s return to the United States, Los Angeles Lakers striker LeBron James questioned why Griner would want to return to a country that has taken so long to help in a country. decision for her.
“Now, how can she feel that America has her back?” James said in a trailer for the latest episode of his talk show, “The Shop: Uninterrupted,” which airs on YouTube. “I would like, ‘Do I want to go back to America at all?'”
James tweeted later Tuesday that his comments were not meant to respect “our beautiful country” but that he said how Griner “probably felt emotionally along with so many other emotions, thoughts, etc. inside the cage she has been for over 100 days! “
My comments to “The Shop” regarding Brittney Griner were not in the way of our beautiful country. I simply said how she probably feels emotionally along with so many other emotions, thoughts, etc. inside the cage she has been in for over 100+ days! Long story short #BringHerHome
Laughter was arrested in Moscow in February after Russian federal customs officials allegedly discovered vape pen cartridges containing hash oil in a bag belonging to her. Last week, Griner pleaded guilty to possession of drugs and is due to appear in court again Thursday.
In early June, shortly after the U.S. State Department classified Griner’s situation as an unjustified detention, James tweeted in support of the seven-time All-Star.
James’ Uninterrupted multimedia platform also sells T-shirts with “We Are BG” printed on the front, where Uninterrupted’s online store says the proceeds from the goods will go to The BG Advocacy Fund, run by Griner’s family to cover legal costs associated with her release.
It is unclear when the episode, which premieres in its entirety on Friday, was filmed. In the trailer, James mentions that Griner has been detained for more than 110 days – Griner’s timeline in Russia hit the 110-day mark almost five weeks ago.
Last week, Griner’s Phoenix Mercury coach Vanessa Nygaard evoked James’ name as he made a point about the country’s slow response to the center’s detention.
“If it was LeBron, he would be home, wouldn’t he?” said Nygaard to journalists. “It’s a statement about the value of women. It’s a statement about the value of a black person. It’s a statement about the value of a gay person. All those things. We know it, and so it is. that which hurts a little more. “
At the WNBA All-Star Game in Chicago last weekend, each player wore a jersey with Griner’s last name and No. 42 adorned on it in the second half of the competition.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver spoke Tuesday night after his league board meeting in Las Vegas, reiterating that the NBA and WNBA are “doing everything in our power” to bring Griner home.
“I accept that the administration is doing everything they can right now,” Silver said. “There are some seriously complex geopolitical issues here. And I’m sure that just as inevitably as they are more focused on Brittney, there are other families who are obviously worried about their loved ones being held against their will in Russia right away. “There are very difficult issues facing the Biden administration in terms of what is appropriate.”
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said Washington will continue to work for the release of Griner, as well as other Americans held by Moscow, including former Marine Paul Whelan.
“We will not give in until Brittney, Paul Whelan and all other wrongfully detained Americans are reunited with their loved ones,” he tweeted last week.
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said Monday that former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson had been in touch with the National Security Council but would not comment on his trip or what he intends to do. A source told ABC News that Richardson plans to travel to Russia and work on Griner’s release.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
