WNBA

NBA commissioner Adam Silver is assisting the WNBA in its efforts to get Brittney Griner home -- revealing on Tuesday he's working with the White House and even hostage negotiators to get her out of custody in Russia.

Silver said before the NBA Draft Lottery in Chicago that he's "working side-by-side" with WNBA commish Cathy Engelbert, who's made bringing Griner back to the U.S. a top priority.

"The league -- and by that, both the WNBA and its brother league, the NBA -- we have a huge responsibility to Brittney Griner as one of our players," Silver said.

"Cathy Engelbert, the commissioner of the WNBA, is on this issue every single day. I'm working side-by-side with her."

Silver says both leagues have gone above and beyond for the Phoenix Mercury star ... getting "in touch with the White House, the State Department, hostage negotiators -- at every level of government and also through the private sector as well."

"Our No. 1 priority is her health and safety and making sure that she gets out of Russia," Silver added.

Griner has been in custody in Russia since February after she was allegedly found with hash oil in her luggage at a Moscow airport.

The 31-year-old was denied house arrest by a judge last week and will be forced to stay in jail for at least another 30 days.

Brittney Griner will remain in custody in Russia for at least another month ... a judge just denied her request for house arrest, forcing her to stay in jail for another 30 days.

The 31-year-old WNBA superstar appeared in a Russian courtroom on Friday morning with the hopes of getting out of jail ... but her attorney told the Associated Press that did not happen.

The attorney, Alexander Boikov, did say, though, that because of the short nature of the custody extension ... he did believe a trial in Griner's case might be coming soon.

Griner wore an orange sweatshirt to Friday's hearing, and left the courtroom with a hood up over her head. In photos of her leaving her appearance, you can see she was wearing cuffs on her wrists.

As we reported, Griner has been in custody in Russia since February -- after she allegedly had hash oil in her luggage at an airport.

She's now had her requests for house arrest denied at least two times by judges as her pre-trial detention has dragged on.

United States officials, meanwhile, have classified her as "wrongfully detained" ... and are attempting to negotiate her release.

The Phoenix Suns are making sure to show support for Brittney Griner for the remainder of their playoff run -- by putting a decal on their court in honor of the WNBA superstar as she remains detained in Russia.

As we previously reported, the Phoenix Mercury center has been detained since February ... after she was accused of having hash oil in her luggage while going through airport security.

Sports, entertainment and political figures have been calling for her release ever since ... with President Joe Biden's administration even claiming Griner is being wrongfully detained in hopes of bringing her home sooner.

The Suns revealed the "BG42" decal ahead of their game against the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday ... saying, "One family. #WeAreBG."

"Honoring Brittney Griner on our court for the remainder of the playoffs. 💜🧡"

The decal is the same one the WNBA debuted recently ... with commissioner Cathy Engelbert promising to keep "Brittney at the forefront of what we do through the game of basketball and in the community."

"We continue to work on bringing Brittney home," Englebert added, "and are appreciative of the support the community has shown BG and her family during this extraordinarily challenging time."

The WNBA will be honoring Brittney Griner -- one of the league's biggest stars -- with "BG42" court decals this upcoming season ... while she still remains in custody in Russia.

WNBA commish, Cathy Engelbert, made the announcement on Tuesday ... revealing the Griner logo and promising to keep "Brittney at the forefront of what we do through the game of basketball and in the community."

"We continue to work on bringing Brittney home," Englebert added, "and are appreciative of the support the community has shown BG and her family during this extraordinarily challenging time."

The logo features Griner's initials and her #42 jersey number. The league says it will have a prominent place on the sidelines of all 12 WNBA courts.

Englebert and the league also announced Griner -- who's been detained by Russian officials since February after she allegedly had hashish oil in her luggage at an airport -- will receive her full salary this season. They also announced they've granted her Phoenix Mercury team roster and salary cap relief for a replacement.

The 31-year-old hooper, meanwhile, is still in custody in Russia ... and, according to a new ESPN report, the U.S. government says Griner is now being classified as "wrongfully detained" and is attempting to negotiate her release instead of letting her case move forward.

"Brittney has been detained for 75 days," Griner's agent, Lindsay Kagawa Colas, said to ESPN on Tuesday, "and our expectation is that the White House do whatever is necessary to bring her home."

Kentucky's Rhyne Howard went no. 1 overall in the 2022 WNBA Draft ... and after she was selected, she paid tribute to the late Terrence Clarke -- who she calls her "little brother."

The shooting guard walked the New York stage Monday night wearing a white pantsuit set with sparkles ... but what stood out most was her honorary pin for Clarke, a former Wildcats guard who died almost a year ago.

"That was like my little brother," Howard said about her tribute.

Clarke and Howard met on campus in 2020 ... when TC was a freshman and Howard was in her 2nd year. They both played for the Wildcats hoops teams.

"As soon as he stepped on campus, we instantly clicked and ever since then, we were inseparable."

"Just us coming in and me being able to help him and just get him through his college years."

Sadly, Clarke was tragically killed in a Los Angeles car crash on April 22, 2021 -- a few months before he was set to be drafted by an NBA team.

Rhyne is definitely making TC proud ... she averaged 20.1 points and 6.9 rebounds per game during her four seasons in Lexington, and became the highest player drafted in Kentucky women's basketball history.

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said Monday she and the league are still fighting like hell to bring Brittney Griner back from Russia ... telling reporters the situation is "unimaginable."

Engelbert wasted no time addressing Griner's Russian detainment in her opening remarks prior to the WNBA Draft -- but said little has changed with the basketball superstar's status.

The 31-year-old remains in custody ... and Engelbert said she knows the hooper is still safe.

She added that she and players across the league are still following officials' advice to stay relatively mum on the topic.

"I know we're all frustrated, but we do need to be patient," Engelbert said. "The players have been amazing at following the advice they're getting and we're getting in order not to jeopardize her safety in any way."

Griner has been detained in Russia since February ... after she was accused of having hash oil in her luggage while going through airport security.

Griner's detainment was extended until at least mid-May at a court hearing last month.

"This is an unimaginable situation for BG to be in," Engelbert said. "She continues to have our full support. Certainly, we're trying everything we can, every angle, working with her legal representation, her agent, elected leaders, the administration. Just everybody in our ecosystem to try and find ways to get her home safely and as quickly as we can."

Lisa Leslie says women's basketball players were instructed to NOT make a big deal over Brittney Griner's arrest in Russia, despite the incredible seriousness of the situation ... all to avoid the WNBA star from becoming a political pawn in a fight between two nations.

The Hall of Famer sat down with Brandon Marshall, Chad Johnson, and former WNBA player Chantel Tremitiere for an episode of "I AM ATHLETE" ... where Leslie revealed players were told to keep quiet on Brittney's detainment.

"So what we were told, and again, this is all sort of passed along through hearsay," the 7x WNBA All-Star prefaced, explaining ... "What we were told was to not make a big fuss about it so they could not use her as a pawn, so to speak, in this situation in the war. So to make it like it's not that important, or don't make it like 'Free Brittney' and we start this campaign and it becomes something they can use."

"That's what we were told. And I don't want to say who told us. I don't want to say who said that, but it's been kind of spreading through the women's basketball world."

Of course, Griner was arrested sometime in February at an airport near Moscow after Russian customs officials claimed they found vape cartridges in her carry-on luggage. Brittney -- who could face over a decade in prison -- has been held in custody since, with little information about her captivity known.

Leslie's comments are fascinating ... and could shed light on why Griner's detainment wasn't known by the American public for days, if not weeks, after she was arrested.

Obviously, the war in Ukraine complicates Griner's case. The west, led by America, has levied severe sanctions against Russia, dealing a big blow to the country's economy.

But, Russia does have some leverage against the United States ... and one of those leverage points is Brittney Griner.

Presumably, that's why the women were told not to publicize Griner's situation ... hoping Russia wouldn't find out people cared about, and for Brittney's situation. If Americans demand Brittney back, that pressures the U.S., and therefore is a bargaining chip for Vladimir Putin.

But, not speaking out about their friend is hard for Lisa.

"It's heartbreaking for all of us. We want to do more. And you think should we all use our social media platform and get behind it or not. This is the first time we're in a situation and don't know what to do."

Leslie says she talks about Griner almost every day ... and they wonder if she's being treated well.

"We talk about it daily. We're just like, 'Dang, what's she doing now? You think they cut off her hair? You think she has a bed long enough for her to fit in? You think she's in the room...' We've had full-on conversations about it. Her parents gotta be sick."

Lisa Leslie isn't the first person who has raised the issue of being a political pawn.

We recently talked to U.S. Congressman Colin Allred -- a former scholarship athlete at Baylor (like BG) -- was also concerned about Griner being used by Russia.

The U.S. government has finally been given access to Brittney Griner in Russia ... and in positive news, she's said to be "in good condition."

U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price made the announcement on CNN on Wednesday ... explaining Russia is now allowing the U.S. to provide consular access to Griner.

Price said an official from the U.S. embassy was able to see her "within the past couple hours" -- saying they checked in on her condition and found she's doing okay while detained.

"There's only so much I can say," Price said, "but what I can say is that our official found Brittney Griner to be in good condition. And we will continue to do everything we can to see to it that she is treated fairly throughout this ordeal."

Price vowed that the U.S. government will "work very closely with her legal team, with her broader network, to see to it that she is treated fairly."

"That is a message that we will continue to convey in no uncertain terms to the Russian Federation," he added.

As we previously reported, Griner has been detained in Russia since mid-February, after she allegedly tried to bring hash oil through airport security.

Brittney Griner was in a Russian court on Thursday ... and will remain in custody for AT LEAST another two months after they extended the arrest of the WNBA star, who's accused of bringing drugs into the country.

Video was released showing the Phoenix Mercury center walking, presumably outside the Moscow-area courtroom, flanked by two female guards. The footage is the first we've seen of 31-year-old Griner since she was taken into custody weeks ago.

Russian news agency TASS says the Moscow court granted more time to investigate the alleged crimes ... and "extended the period of detention of the U.S. citizen Griner until May 19."

Griner has been in custody since February after Russian customs officials claim they found hashish oil (vape cartridges) in her carry-on luggage at an airport.

As for the conditions of her "detainment," TASS reports she's sharing a cell with two other women who have no prior convictions. They also reported the 6'7" athlete was issued a bed too short for her frame.

After her arrest, Russian officials said they opened up a drug trafficking investigation into Griner.

Everyone from NBA and WNBA stars, actors and actresses, to Griner's wife has called on the country to release Griner ... to no avail.

"There are no words to express this pain," Griner's wife, Cherelle, said earlier this month.

"I'm hurting, we're hurting. We await the day to love on you as a family."

Several prominent politicians have spoken out about Griner's arrest -- including Hillary Clinton, who recently wrote "Free Brittney" on social media.

U.S. Congressman Colin Allred -- who also happened to attend Baylor U. -- recently told us he hopes Griner doesn't become a political pawn during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Many fear Griner -- who has played pro basketball in Russia for years -- could be used as a bargaining chip against America ... as the west has levied very stiff sanctions against the country.

Brittney Griner's alleged mug shot was shared by Russian State media, marking the first time the WNBA star has been seen "publicly" since her detainment in February.

The 31-year-old center for the Phoenix Mercury was taken into custody last month at an airport near Moscow ... after Russian customs officials claim a drug dog alerted to her carry-on luggage, which allegedly contained hashish oil (for a vape).

Russian officials say they've launched a drug trafficking investigation ... and if convicted, Griner could face a decade behind bars in Russia.

Russia's state-owned news channel, Russia 24, aired a photo of Griner's mug shot. State media reported the booking photo was taken at a Russian police station, according to CNN.

The mug shot is significant because Griner has not been seen or heard from publicly in weeks.

The arrest couldn't come at a worse time for the WNBA superstar. Russia is in the midst of a full-out assault on Ukraine, and the United States and many other countries have sanctioned the Russian government, seriously ratcheting up tensions.

Now, the Russian government has a high-profile American prisoner ... and could become a pawn or bargaining chip for Putin.

As for the efforts to bring Brittney home -- we recently spoke with longtime U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham who told us the State Dept. is doing everything in its power to return the star hooper to her family and friends in the States.

Senator Lindsey Graham caught some heat for suggesting someone needed to assassinate Vladimir Putin to end this Russia-Ukraine conflict ... and now, he's doubling down.

We got LG Monday at Reagan National Airport in D.C., and asked him to respond to the backlash he received last week after floating the possibility of Russians taking Putin out.

The basis of the criticism ... such talk is dangerous, and certainly not something a U.S. public official should be spewing -- even if it is something that's been on folks' minds.

Well ... Sen. Graham not only stands by what he said, but expands a bit on the subject -- saying just about everybody in the world sees what the Russian president is doing, and can clearly see the guy's a war criminal who must be stopped.

Graham notes Putin's been getting away with atrocities for years -- so, yes, he doesn't see anything wrong with musing about the possibility of his own people removing the man ... one way or another.

Our photog took the opportunity to ask about WNBA star Brittney Griner, who's being detained by Russian authorities on a drug charge.

Brittney Griner's wife says she's completely heartbroken over her wife's detainment in Russia ... saying in an emotional social media post, "My heart, our hearts, are all skipping beats everyday that goes by without hearing from you."

Griner has reportedly been kept in Russia the past few weeks after she was allegedly caught with vape cartridges in her bag while traveling through an airport.

Communication between Griner and her family has apparently been few and far between since she was taken into custody ... and Cherelle Griner said Monday morning it's all been excruciating.

"There are no words to express this pain," Cherelle said. "I'm hurting, we're hurting. We await the day to love on you as a family."

Cherelle added that she's having trouble doing anything without wondering if the WNBA star is safe.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken declined to get into specifics of the Griner case on Sunday ... but he said any citizen who is being held in a foreign country will get assistance.

"Whenever an American is detained anywhere in the world," Blinken said, "we of course stand ready to provide every possible assistance."

He added, "We have an embassy team that's working on the cases of other Americans who are detained in Russia. We're doing everything we can to see to it that their rights are upheld and respected."

Brittney Griner's wife is breaking her silence since news broke about the WNBA star being detained in Russia -- and her first message is one of gratitude.

Cherelle Griner hopped on IG Sunday to post a photo of herself with BG, adding a caption that read ... "Thank you to everyone who has reached out to me regarding my wife’s safe return from Russia. Your prayers and support are greatly appreciated. I love my wife wholeheartedly, so this message comes during one of the weakest moments of my life."

She adds, "I understand that many of you have grown to love BG over the years and have concerns and want details. Please honor our privacy as we continue to work on getting my wife home safely."

As you know ... Brittney is in Russian custody at the moment, and apparently has been for a good while now -- since at least February when she was busted on suspicion of a drug charge.

She's alleged to have had vape cartridges in her bag while traveling through an airport -- and the Russian authorities even released video capturing the moment they searched her stuff.

Brittney Griner, WNBA superstar and 2x Olympic gold medalist, was reportedly detained in Russia after customs officials say they found hashish oil in the hoopers luggage ... and she could now face 10 years in prison.

On Saturday, the Russian Federal Customs Service announced they'd detained an American basketball player back in February after finding vape cartridges in her bags while traveling through Sheremetyevo airport -- about 20 miles from Moscow.

Russian customs didn't identify the person taken into custody, but TASS, a Russian news agency, citing sources, ID'd the player as Griner, center for the Phoenix Mercury.

Customs released surveillance video on Saturday appearing to show Griner, wearing a mask, going through airport security. The clip shows what appears to be a security official removing a package from the traveler's bag.

According to a statement from Russian Customs, the traveler was flying from New York to Russia. At some point, they claim a drug dog alerted to her carry-on bag. Soon after they claim they found the vapes.

The statement says Russian officials have opened up a drug trafficking investigation ... a charge that could carry a five to ten-year prison sentence, if convicted.

Lindsay Kagawa Colas, Brittney's agent, issued the following statement.

"We are aware of the situation with Brittney Griner in Russia and are in close contact with her, her legal representation in Russia, her family, her teams, and the WNBA and NBA."

Colas continued ... "As this is an ongoing legal matter, we are not able to comment further on the specifics of her case but can confirm that as we work to get her home, her mental and physical health remain our primary concern."

The WNBA also released a statement pledging their support for Griner, saying their main objective was to return her to the USA as soon as possible.

31-year-old Griner, the 1st overall pick in the 2014 WNBA Draft, is one of the best players in the league. Brittney is a 7x All-Star, 2x Scoring Champ, 2x WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, and a WNBA champion.

Despite her accolades, Griner and other WNBA players routinely hoop in Russia ... as women can earn significantly more money than what the WNBA pays.

Griner is no stranger to the country. She's won four championships with the Russian Euroleague team, UMMC Ekaterinburg.

It's not publicly known where, or if, Griner is being held ... as the detainment allegedly occurred in February.

It's a perilous time for an American to be held in Russia. Relations between the two countries are incredibly strained, as Vladimir Putin's military invaded and attacked Ukraine, and the west responded with harsh sanctions, dealing a significant blow to Russia's economy.

Mark Lye -- a former PGA Tour pro -- was fired from his golf radio host job this weekend ... after he said on-air that watching the WNBA made him want to shoot himself.

Lye made the disparaging comments on SiriusXM's "The Scorecard" show on Saturday ... while trying to explain why he's now a fan of women's golf.

"You know, the LPGA Tour to me is a completely different tour than it was 10 years ago," Lye said. "You couldn't pay me to watch. You really couldn't. Because I just, I couldn't relate at all."

He continued, "It’s kind of like, you know, if you're a basketball player -- and I'm not trashing anybody -- please, don't take it the wrong way -- but I saw some highlights of ladies basketball. Man, is there a gun in the house? I'll shoot myself than watch that."

Lye told GOLF.com the comments almost immediately got him fired ... saying SiriusXM officials canned him a short time afterward.

"I was terminated about comments made about the WNBA," said Lye, who added that he did apologize for the words in the ensuing segment.

SiriusXM confirmed the firing to GOLF.com, saying the 69-year-old "will no longer be hosting."

Lye put out a statement on Twitter on Sunday following the firing ... appearing to defend the comments.

"The fact that I can’t relate to WNBA does not make me sexist in any way," he wrote. "All you haters should listen to the whole segment, where I completely glorified womens golf, which I love to cover. Thanks for listening."

WNBA star Liz Cambage is fed up -- the Australian pro hooper just ripped the league over its pay, griping about how new Las Vegas head coach Becky Hammon is making exorbitantly more cash than the players.

"ahhh yes the @WNBA," Cambage said in a tweet Tuesday afternoon, "where a head coach can get paid 4X the highest paid players super max contract."

"lmao and y’all think imma spend another season upgrading my seat on a flight to get to games out of my own pocket."

Hammon -- who served as an assistant under Gregg Popovich with the Spurs -- recently signed a historic deal with the Aces that was reportedly worth around $1 million.

Some considered it a great and progressive move for the league, but Cambage clearly thinks otherwise ... considering the highest-paid player in the WNBA right now is Diana Taurasi, who's reportedly making around $228K to play for the Phoenix Mercury.

Liz -- who earned a salary of $221,450 last year -- seemingly feels players' pay should have been bumped up before Hammon received her huge salary.