WNBA great Lisa Leslie says she was told not to make ‘big fuss’ over Brittney Griner’s arrest in Russia
Muri Assuncao, New York Daily News
Basketball legend Lisa Leslie said she was told not to make a “big fuss” over the arrest of WNBA great Britney Griner in Russia.
Speaking in a recent episode of the “I Am Athlete” podcast, Leslie opened up about the “heartbreaking” situation she’s found herself in after she was asked not to bring too much attention to the case, to avoid Russia from capitalizing on the incident.
“What we were told, and again this is all sort of passed along through hearsay, but what we were told was to not make a big fuss about it so that they could not use her as a pawn, so to speak, in this situation in the war,” Leslie said in a clip of the episode shared on YouTube Friday.
“So, to make it like it’s not that important or don’t make it where we’re like, ‘Free Brittney’ and we start this campaign, and then it becomes something that they can use,” she added.
Leslie, a three-time WNBA MVP and four-time Olympic gold medalist, played 11 seasons in the WNBA with the Los Angeles Sparks. She was inducted into both the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015.
In the two-minute-long clip, Leslie didn’t specify who might have directed her to maintain a low profile about the issue.
It’s also unclear when the interview was recorded, but the full episode is set to premiere Monday.
Griner, a seven-time WNBA All-Star center for the Phoenix Mercury, was arrested by Russian authorities on Feb. 17.
Earlier this month, Russian officials announced they had detained the athlete, who’s also a two-time Olympic gold medalist, after hashish oil was allegedly found in her luggage at an airport in Moscow.
She’s been accused of smuggling large quantities of a narcotic substance, an offense that can carry a sentence of up to 10 years behind bars.
Her current situation is currently unclear, but the openly gay athlete will remain in Russia — a notoriously anti-LGBTQ country, where public discussions or positive messages about LGBTQ issues are illegal — until at least May 19.
“Do we know if that’s the right thing to do or not?” Leslie asked, wondering if keeping quiet about the situation is indeed the best way to bring the incident to an end.
“It’s heartbreaking for all of us … You want to do more, and think, should we all use our social media platform and get behind it or not? Nobody really [knows]. This is the first time we’re in this situation, and we don’t know what to do.
“I talk with Dawn Staley, and people that I’m close with. We talk about it daily. We’re just like ‘Dang what’s she doing now? Do you think they cut off her hair? Does she have a bed long enough to fit in?’ We’ve had full-on conversations about it, and I’m like, ‘Her parents got to be sick,’ ” she added. “The question is, what’s the right thing to do about it?”
Report: Kings coach Luke Walton on the hot seat; could be fired if losing streak continues
WNBA ratings continue to rise, and they were particularly good before the NFL season began. Then the Minnesota Lynx played their only home playoff game opposite a Vikings-Seahawks game at U.S. Bank Stadium, and the deciding game of the Sky-Mercury finals went up against an NFL Sunday.
Stop it. Even baseball, once America's most popular sport, can't compete with the NFL.
The WNBA should seize the summer, when it would be in competition with only baseball, which, during the regular season, is a regional sport. If the WNBA insists on playing in the fall — a mistake — then at least schedule games other times than Sunday afternoon.
As a general sports columnist, I desperately search for topics during the summer and am overloaded with options in the fall. When the Lynx play during the summer, I love covering a meaningful basketball game instead of just another baseball game.
WNBA ratings continue to rise, and they were particularly good before the NFL season began. Then the Minnesota Lynx played their only home playoff game opposite a Vikings-Seahawks game at U.S. Bank Stadium, and the deciding game of the Sky-Mercury finals went up against an NFL Sunday.
Stop it. Even baseball, once America's most popular sport, can't compete with the NFL.
The WNBA should seize the summer, when it would be in competition with only baseball, which, during the regular season, is a regional sport. If the WNBA insists on playing in the fall — a mistake — then at least schedule games other times than Sunday afternoon.
As a general sports columnist, I desperately search for topics during the summer and am overloaded with options in the fall. When the Lynx play during the summer, I love covering a meaningful basketball game instead of just another baseball game.
Report: Kings coach Luke Walton on the hot seat; could be fired if losing streak continues
Stacy Bengs
Last year the Lynx had to "cut'' Layshia Clarendon or Rachel Banham to stay in compliance with roster and payroll limitations.
On a related note, new Lynx/Timberwolves owner Mark Lore texted Lynx GM and coach Cheryl Reeve to ask why WNBA player salaries were so low.
Lore became a billionaire by investing heavily in ideas he loved. NBA owners who also own WNBA franchises should see the growth and positive trends surrounding the WNBA and pay the players, expand the rosters, expand the league and, later, reap the rewards, just like the investment-first owners in every major men's sport has done over the last century.
Stacy Bengs
Last year the Lynx had to "cut'' Layshia Clarendon or Rachel Banham to stay in compliance with roster and payroll limitations.
On a related note, new Lynx/Timberwolves owner Mark Lore texted Lynx GM and coach Cheryl Reeve to ask why WNBA player salaries were so low.
Lore became a billionaire by investing heavily in ideas he loved. NBA owners who also own WNBA franchises should see the growth and positive trends surrounding the WNBA and pay the players, expand the rosters, expand the league and, later, reap the rewards, just like the investment-first owners in every major men's sport has done over the last century.
Report: Kings coach Luke Walton on the hot seat; could be fired if losing streak continues
Paul Beaty
The Chicago Sky brought to their victory party the door that Mercury star Diana Taurasi broke during the finals. Brilliant.
The WNBA already has brilliant players, brilliant basketball and brilliant competition to sell. What has made the NFL an overwhelming success is the way people react to it. They bet, play fantasy football, overreact, follow social media for interpersonal dramas and memes and insults.
Play it up. Have some fun. Engage fan emotions.
Paul Beaty
The Chicago Sky brought to their victory party the door that Mercury star Diana Taurasi broke during the finals. Brilliant.
The WNBA already has brilliant players, brilliant basketball and brilliant competition to sell. What has made the NFL an overwhelming success is the way people react to it. They bet, play fantasy football, overreact, follow social media for interpersonal dramas and memes and insults.
Report: Kings coach Luke Walton on the hot seat; could be fired if losing streak continues
Paul Beaty
Yes, so much of this comes down to money. The WNBA needs to pay its players enough that they don't need or want to play overseas. Napheesa Collier didn't make it back for the beginning of the 2021 season and Kayla McBride missed training camp. If the Lynx had gotten off to a faster start, they may have earned a second bye, and Clarendon, a key to their success, might have been healthier.
Paul Beaty
Yes, so much of this comes down to money. The WNBA needs to pay its players enough that they don't need or want to play overseas. Napheesa Collier didn't make it back for the beginning of the 2021 season and Kayla McBride missed training camp. If the Lynx had gotten off to a faster start, they may have earned a second bye, and Clarendon, a key to their success, might have been healthier.
Report: Kings coach Luke Walton on the hot seat; could be fired if losing streak continues
Kathy Willens
All WNBA games should be available on readily-accessible broadcast channels. Facebook doesn't deserve this league, and watching games on Twitter is annoying, and forcing fans to buy an extra subscription is a bad idea.
You can gouge people after you've captured a satisfactory market share. Not now.
Kathy Willens
All WNBA games should be available on readily-accessible broadcast channels. Facebook doesn't deserve this league, and watching games on Twitter is annoying, and forcing fans to buy an extra subscription is a bad idea.
You can gouge people after you've captured a satisfactory market share. Not now.
Report: Kings coach Luke Walton on the hot seat; could be fired if losing streak continues
Star Tribune
The WNBA punches well above its weight when it comes to social issues and social justice. It is America's most admirable league.
Keep it up. The people alienated by your stances were never going to attend a WNBA game, anyway. There are millions of good people out there who will gravitate toward women's basketball as the league grows in popularity and scope.
And as Maya Moore has demonstrated, there are things in life more important than basketball. Keep using basketball as a means to make the world a better place. It will pay off.
It already has.
Star Tribune
The WNBA punches well above its weight when it comes to social issues and social justice. It is America's most admirable league.
Keep it up. The people alienated by your stances were never going to attend a WNBA game, anyway. There are millions of good people out there who will gravitate toward women's basketball as the league grows in popularity and scope.
And as Maya Moore has demonstrated, there are things in life more important than basketball. Keep using basketball as a means to make the world a better place. It will pay off.
WNBA great Lisa Leslie says she was told not to make ‘big fuss’ over Brittney Griner’s arrest in Russia
Aris Messinis/AFP/Getty Images North America/TNS
USA's Brittney Griner (2L) shoots the ball as Japan's Yuki Miyazawa (L) tries to block in the women's preliminary round group B basketball match between Japan and USA during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama on July 30, 2021. (Aris Messinis/AFP via Getty Images/TNS)
Aris Messinis/AFP/Getty Images North America/TNS
USA's Brittney Griner (2L) shoots the ball as Japan's Yuki Miyazawa (L) tries to block in the women's preliminary round group B basketball match between Japan and USA during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama on July 30, 2021. (Aris Messinis/AFP via Getty Images/TNS)
