Tag: Russia

Dennis Rodman: I got permission to go to Russia to help Brittney Griner

Former NBA player Dennis Rodman said Saturday that he plans to visit Russia to seek the release of Brittney Griner, the WNBA star who was sentenced to nine years in prison on drug charges this month. “I got permission to go to Russia to help that …

Former NBA player Dennis Rodman said Saturday that he plans to visit Russia to seek the release of Brittney Griner, the WNBA star who was sentenced to nine years in prison on drug charges this month. “I got permission to go to Russia to help that girl,” Rodman told NBC News at a restaurant in D.C. “I’m trying to go this week.”
Source: Jonathan Allen @ NBC

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Nick Wright @getnickwright
Here’s #47: One of the 5 best defenders of the last 30 years, the greatest rebounder of his generation, and a consummate winner who played in 9 Conference Finals, 6 Finals & won 5 rings, Dennis Rodman @Dennis Rodman pic.twitter.com/xnsbt0Tgxj – 1:30 PM

More on this storyline

 

NBC News reached out to White House national security officials for comment on Rodman’s plans to travel Russia to engage in the Griner case. Rodman was in Washington for a sneaker convention. Though he has a much more established relationship with Kim, Rodman expressed confidence in his understanding of Russia’s president. “I know Putin too well,” he said. -via NBC / August 21, 2022
It’s not just the five additional moments that Visual Concepts’ designers have brought to the mode, for a total of 15. It’s also the testimonials from the figures so closely associated with Jordan and his career — from Dennis Rodman and Phil Jackson to Mike Fratello and Ahmad Rashad — and the genuine affection they rekindle for a player with no shortage of admirers. -via Polygon / August 11, 2022
Draymond Green: Rodman was INSANE!! And John Stockton had a tough time with these dudes. Hornacek had no answer for Pip -via Twitter @Money23Green / July 25, 2022

 

Sirius XM NBA: A Moscow court sentenced …

Sirius XM NBA: A Moscow court sentenced WNBA Star Brittney Griner to 9 years in jail. @JumpsShot8 tells @Rick Kamla how much it bothers him #WeAreBG #BringBrittneyHome pic.twitter.com/pqwwSL0Knv

There’s still a way to free Brittney Griner, but the United States needs to act fast

It’s time for the United States to bring Brittney Griner home.

Brittney Griner has been wrongfully detained in Russia for months now since she was arrested back earlier this year for carrying cannabis oil in her luggage.

Russian authorities handed her a nine-year prison sentence for what they called “drug smuggling,” despite her insistence that she accidentally packed it on her way into the country to prepare to play for her Russian club.

Fans everywhere were absolutely devastated when authorities handed the final verdict down. It feels very clear that Griner is being used as a pawn here — she possessed less than a gram of cannabis oil when she was detained.

But, believe it or not, all hope isn’t lost here for Griner.

There’s still a path to bringing her home and reuniting her with her loved ones and it starts now with her sentencing, despite how daunting the task feels.

Let’s dive into what happens next for Griner:

Fans poured in support for Brittney Griner after Russian authorities sentenced WNBA star to 9 years in prison

Free Brittney Griner. Free Brittney Griner. Free Brittney Griner.

Brittney Griner’s situation in Russia has shifted from precarious to straight-up disastrous.

The WNBA star made her final appeal in a Russian court on Thursday by issuing an apology to her family, her fans and her team for her “honest mistake” of carrying less than a gram carrying cannabis oil in her luggage upon arrival in Russia.

It seems that the apology fell on deaf ears with Russian authorities. The judge sentenced Griner to nine years in prison after finding her guilty of drug smuggling, per ABC News’ James Longman.

It was only a half year off of the 9.5 years prosecutors requested from the judge ahead of the sentencing.

In her statement, Griner said she never meant to heart anyone and begged Russian authorities not to “end my life here.”

“I never meant to hurt anybody. I never meant to put in jeopardy the Russian population. I never meant to break any laws here. I made an honest mistake and I hope that in your ruling that it doesn’t end my life here.”

Griner now has a nine-year sentence and is gravely in danger for obvious reasons.

The Russian justice system is mysterious at best and sinister at its worst — particularly for someone like Griner who is a gay, Black woman. Russia isn’t known for being kind to people like her.

She needs help and she needs it fast. No one knows what will happen to her over there and, honestly, it’s terrifying to think about.

That’s why fans everywhere passionately voiced their support for Griner after we learned of the sentencing: