Nneka Ogwumike, the top of the WNBA avid gamers union, on Tuesday shared an replace on Brittney Griner, the seven-time WNBA All-Big name who was once arrested in Russia in February and stays in custody out of the country.
Ogwumike, president of the Girls’s Nationwide Basketball Avid gamers Affiliation, seemed on “Just right Morning The usa” Tuesday to talk about the league’s efforts to carry Griner house.
Jeff Bottari by means of Getty Pictures
Griner was once arrested on Feb. 17 in Russia ― per week sooner than that nation invaded Ukraine ― after officials with the Russian Federal Customs Carrier allegedly discovered vape cartridges containing hash oil in Griner’s baggage.
“It’s difficult … That can have been us,” Ogwumike stated of Griner, a Phoenix Mercury celebrity and two-time Olympic gold medalist. “We’re in reality maximum all in favour of her well being and protection, particularly her psychological well being. We’re listening to that during that appreciate, she’s OK, however we wish her house.”
“BG is us,” she emphasised, regarding Griner via her initials. “We’re BG.”
Ogwumike additionally defined why she’s talking out about Griner now.
“We transfer deliberately, and given the character of Brittney’s scenario, when it took place ― it was once crucial for us to be intentional about doing the most efficient factor to be sure that we don’t compromise her coming house,” she informed “GMA” anchor Robin Roberts.
“A large number of that needed to do with teaching ourselves about the main points of what was once happening,” she went on. “Up to shall we know. However then figuring out how vital it was once for us to be strategic about when and the way we discuss her.”
Ogwumike and Roberts mentioned how issues of gender inequality helped to land Griner in her present scenario.
“It’s disappointing that the query of it being a gender factor is most sensible of thoughts now, in terms of this kind of circumstance,” she stated. “The truth is, she’s over there as a result of a gender factor ― pay inequity.”
The top-paid participant within the WNBA earns $228,000 a yr, whilst some most sensible NBA avid gamers make greater than $1 million, in keeping with ABC Information.
It’s no longer unparalleled for WNBA avid gamers to trip out of the country right through the offseason to earn some more cash. “We cross over there to complement our earning,” stated Ogwumike, who herself prior to now performed in Russia for 4 years, China for 2 years and Poland for one.
