Brittney Griner has been wrongfully detained in Russia. 215 days. With BG’s incarceration at the forefront of their hearts and minds, WNBA players are refusing to compete in Russia this offseason.
As attractive as the Russian league is, typically due to the combination of high salaries and valuable resources and amenities, it has become clear this season that the costs of going there outweigh the benefits. Last year, nearly a dozen WNBA players competed in Russia. No one is coming back.
MVP runner-up Breanna Stewart played with Griner at UMMC Ekaterinburg in Russia.
“Honestly, I really enjoyed my time in Russia,” Stewart told the Guardian. “But especially with BG still being unjustly detained, no one is going to go there until she comes home. I think people now want to go abroad and live in better places if their money doesn’t make much of a difference.”
Stewart heads to Türkiye to play for Fenerbahce this offseason.
It has been 214 days since our friend Brittney Griner was unjustly detained in Russia. Now it’s time for her to come home. @White House @Potus @vp We care and we believe in you. #WeAreBG
— Breanna Stewart (@breannastewart) September 20, 2022
Joining Stewart, who decided not to return to Russia, were Finals runners-up Jonquel Jones of the Connecticut Sun, Courtney Vandersloot of the Chicago Sky and Emma Meeseman of the Chicago Sky. Vandersloot will compete in Hungary, while Jones and Meeseeman will compete in Türkiye.
Although she admitted her club treated her well and formed strong relationships during her time in Russia, Vandersloot was clear:
Vandersloot said: “We’ve been treated very well by the club and we’ve built a strong relationship with those guys. I would never close the door on that.” “The whole situation at BG makes it really difficult for anyone to think it’s safe to go back there right now.”
Once again, Russia is ruled out as an offseason destination for WNBA players as long as their sisters and teammates are wrongfully imprisoned. In addition to vets like Stewart, Jones, Vandersloot and Meeseman opting out of returning to Russia, younger players are opting for other overseas opportunities. Rhyne Howard, the 2022 Rookie of the Year, chose to play in Italy, saying “everybody is going to be a little cautious when they see this going on.”
Following the 2020-21 season More than 60% of WNBA rosters I went overseas in the offseason. Traveling overseas to supplement salaries puts players away from their homes and families, putting them at risk of injury and safety. With plans to play a record 40 games next season and increase the postseason bonus pool, the league continues to move toward making stay-at-home games possible.
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