'We love you BG': WNBA, NBA players react to Brittney Griner being sentenced to nine years in Russian prison

Scott Rafferty

•
'We love you BG': WNBA, NBA players react to Brittney Griner being sentenced to nine years in Russian prison image

A Russian court sentenced Brittney Griner to nine years of jail time on Aug 4, and support poured in for the WNBA star.

Griner was arrested in February after the Russian Federal Customs Service claimed it found hashish oil in her luggage at a Moscow airport. The New York Times reported that a criminal case had been opened into the "large-scale transportation of drugs."

Griner pleaded guilty to drug charges in a Russian court hearing in early July. She said she did not want to break the law and packed for her trip in a hurry.

President Joe Biden released a statement calling the sentencing "unacceptable." Griner's defense lawyers reportedly said that they would appeal Thursday's verdict.

MORE: The complete Brittney Griner detainment timeline

Many NBA and WNBA players took to social media to react to the latest on Griner.

WNBA, NBA commissioners release statement

Scott Rafferty

Scott Rafferty Photo

 

Scott Rafferty is an experienced NBA journalist who first started writing for The Sporting News in 2017. There are few things he appreciates more than a Nikola Jokic no-look pass, Klay Thompson heat check or Giannis Antetokounmpo eurostep. He's a member of the NBA Global team.