Phoenix Mercury

UConn women's basketball star Paige Bueckers has one simple message for President Joe Biden.

Bueckers ended her interview with Malika Andrews on ESPN's NBA Today calling for Biden and United States officials to do whatever it takes to bring Brittney Griner, who has been detained in Russia since February 17, home.

"Just a message to President Biden, the government and anybody with high enough power to help get Brittney Griner back home. I believe it's way far due for her to come home and she's an American. She's a hero. She's our sister in the WNBA and she's just family to the whole United States. So, just whatever it takes to get her home, I think it's definitely time," Bueckers said.

Bueckers' comments come after Griner wrote a letter directly to Biden appealing for help in obtaining her freedom. Representatives of Griner shared a few excerpts from the letter, per ESPN's TJ Quinn.

"I realize you are dealing with so much, but please don't forget about me and the other American Detainees," Griner wrote. "Please do all that you can to bring us home. I voted for the first time in 2020 and I voted for you. I believe in you. I still have so much good to do with my freedom that you can help restore. I miss my wife! I miss my family! I miss my teammates! It kills me to know they are suffering so much right now. I am grateful for whatever you can do at this moment to get me home."

Griner has been detained in Russia for 138 days as of Tuesday after being arrested at a Moscow airport for allegedly carrying vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage. Her detention was extended another six months last week, and she faces up to 10 years in Russian prison if convicted of large-scale transportation of drugs. Her trial began July 1 and will continue on Thursday.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in March that U.S. officials were "doing everything" they could to protect the rights of Americans being detained in Russia.

"There's only so much I can say given the privacy considerations at this point," Blinken said of Griner. "Whenever an American is detained anywhere in the world, we of course stand ready to provide every possible assistance, and that includes in Russia."

Blinken 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."

The Biden administration classified Griner as "wrongfully detained" in May, meaning that it would not wait for her case to be play out in a Russian court and instead begin negotiating her release.

It has been speculated that a prisoner exchange would need to occur with Russia for Griner to be released. According to Gerald Posner of Forbes, the Biden administration offered to exchange convicted arms dealer Viktor Bout for Griner.

However, Blinken would not discuss such an exchange during an appearance on CNN last month.

"As a general proposition ... I have got no higher priority than making sure that Americans who are being illegally detained in one way or another around the world come home," Blinken said. "I can’t comment in any detail on what we’re doing, except to say this is an absolute priority."

Griner has played in the WNBA since 2013 after being selected first overall by the Phoenix Mercury. An eight-time All-Star and two-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, she ranks third all-time in career blocks and field-goal percentage and guided the Mercury to the 2014 title.

Griner is also a two-time Olympic gold medalist. She was also named an honorary starter for the 2022 WNBA All-Star Game and has received an outpouring of support from her colleagues and many other athletes.

WNBA star Brittney Griner wrote a letter directly to the White House and President Joe Biden appealing for help in obtaining her freedom from Russia.

Excerpts from the letter were released by representatives of Griner, per ESPN's T.J. Quinn.

"I realize you are dealing with so much, but please don't forget about me and the other American Detainees," one excerpt stated. "Please do all that you can to bring us home.

Griner stated in her letter that she felt "terrified I might be here forever." The Phoenix Mercury center explained the personal importance of the Fourth of July to her and her family because her father is a Vietnam War veteran. In her direct plea to President Biden, she said: "I believe in you. I still have so much good to do with the freedom that you can help restore."

The 31-year-old has been detained in Russia for since February 17 after she was arrested at an airport after authorities allegedly found hashish oil in her luggage. The U.S. Department of State categorized her as "wrongfully detained" in May. As of Monday, she has been detained for 137 days.

The two-time U.S. Olympic gold medalist had her detention extended last Monday by another six months to Dec. 20. Her case went to trial Friday for an initial session and was adjourned until July 7. If convicted on the charges of large-scale transportation of drugs, Griner faces up to 10 years in prison.

Alexander Boykov, an attorney for Griner, told reporters: "I wouldn't want to talk on the specifics of the case and on the charges and to comment on our position on it because it's too early for it."

It has been widely speculated that a prisoner exchange would be required for Griner's release. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken declined to discuss a potential exchange during a June 26 appearance on CNN.

"As a general proposition ... I have got no higher priority than making sure that Americans who are being illegally detained in one way or another around the world come home," Blinken said. "I can’t comment in any detail on what we’re doing, except to say this is an absolute priority."

In June, the WNBA named Griner as an honorary All-Star for the 2022 season. She has received an outpouring of support from her fellow players as well as NBA stars, who are all advocating for her release.

The excerpts from Griner's letter ended by stating: "I miss my wife! I miss my family! I miss my teammates! It kills me to know they are suffering so much right now. I am grateful for whatever you can do at this moment to get me home."

The Russian government reportedly may use the trial of Phoenix Mercury star Brittney Griner as a way to extract political concessions from the United States, according to experts who spoke with ESPN's T.J. Quinn.

Griner, who has been determined wrongfully detained by the U.S. State Department, will stand trial Friday. She has been in custody for 133 days.

Quinn spoke to William Pomeranz, a Russian law expert, who said the trial's outcome is a "foregone conclusion."

Danielle Gilbert, an assistant professor of military and strategic studies at the U.S. Air Force Academy, described the trial to Quinn as a "negotiation strategy" by Russia.

"The trial—and the threat of a long sentence—gives the Russians more negotiating leverage," Gilbert said.

Because of the slim likelihood of getting a fair trial, Pomeranz told Quinn pleading guilty might be Griner's best strategy, and experts said a guilty plea could be a condition of any release agreement:

Sources close to Griner declined to say how she intends to plead, but experts say that with no chance of acquittal it would make strategic sense to just plead guilty now. That might cause headaches for the U.S. State Department and the White House, but it could make Griner's life more bearable, and a deal to go home more likely.

This was one of the fears when news became public that Griner had been arrested at a Moscow airport in February for allegedly possessing vape cartridges of hashish oil in her luggage.

Quinn and Mechelle Voepel interviewed Tom Firestone, a former legal adviser at the United States embassy in Moscow, who said Griner's arrest could become a geopolitical issue if it garnered significant mainstream attention.

As a result, those close to the 31-year-old remained relatively quiet in the immediate aftermath of her arrest in the hope the matter could be resolved behind the scenes.

By May, the U.S. government signaled a shift in its approach when the State Department officially classified Griner as wrongfully detained. That allowed government officials to more aggressively negotiate for her release.

CNN's Jake Tapper asked Secretary of State Antony Blinken about exchanging convicted arms trafficker Viktor Bout for Griner and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, who was sentenced to 16 years in prison on espionage charges in 2020.

"As a general proposition, Jake, I’ve got no higher priority than making sure that Americans who are being illegally detained in one way or another around the world come home, and that includes Paul Whelan and that includes Brittney Griner," Blinken said. "That includes people in a number of other countries. In fact, I spoke to Brittney Griner’s wife just a few days ago."

Cherelle Griner told Al Sharpton on Wednesday that her wife, WNBA star Brittney Griner, is "terrified" amid her 132-day detainment in Russia.

"She's a human. She's struggling. She's there, terrified. She's there alone," she said on Sharpton's Keepin' It Real radio show on SiriusXM (6:15 mark). "I mean, even in America, if she was going through a legal proceeding, she wouldn't be doing it alone. ... Everything about this is just your biggest nightmare. On top of the fact that BG is in a situation where this isn't even a trial. ... Considering an execution, Russia has a 99 percent conviction rate. Nothing about this is justice."

Griner was arrested at a Moscow airport in February and accused of having cannabis oil vape cartridges in her luggage. If convicted, she is facing up to 10 years in prison in the country.

Her trial is set to begin Friday.

"The United States government is actively engaged in trying to resolve this case and get Brittney home," White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters Tuesday.

"The Russian government should release her and allow her to be returned and reunited with her family and come home safe and sound," he added, saying she was "wrongly" and "unjustly" detained.

The State Department has also classified Griner as wrongfully detained.

One of the beliefs regarding Griner's arrest and detainment is that the Russian government is using her as a political pawn, with some Russian media outlets reporting that the government is trying to get the United States to release convicted weapons dealer Viktor "The Merchant of Death" Bout in a prisoner exchange.

"He was arguably the largest and most sophisticated arms trafficker on the globe when he was arrested," former DEA chief of operations Michael Braun told Jeff Eisenberg of Yahoo Sports in late May. "He was the guy who could deliver virtually anything with certainty to any bad actor all over the world."

Griner, 31, is one of many WNBA stars who play in Europe during the WNBA offseason. She most recently has played for Russia's UMMC Ekaterinburg.

WNBA star Brittney Griner has a Friday trial date in her ongoing case in Russia.

A judge set the date at a hearing Monday, according to Jim Heintz of the Associated Press. Griner has been detained in Russia since February after authorities allegedly found hashish oil in her luggage at the Sheremetyevo International Airport.

She faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted on the charges of large-scale transportation of drugs. Heintz noted less than 1 percent of people facing criminal charges in Russia are acquitted.

The U.S. Department of State categorized Griner as "wrongfully detained" in May.

"The welfare and safety of U.S. citizens abroad is among the highest priorities of the U.S government," the State Department said in a statement. "The Department of State has determined that the Russian Federation has wrongfully detained U.S. citizen Brittney Griner. ... The U.S. government will continue to undertake efforts to provide appropriate support to Ms. Griner."

Despite efforts made to gain her release, it's unlikely Griner will be able to leave Russia anytime soon. The court extended her detention for another six months Monday.

A prisoner exchange has been speculated about publicly, but the AP report notes that would likely require Griner to be convicted of the crime and then receive a presidential pardon. Secretary of State Antony Blinken declined to comment on any potential exchange.

“As a general proposition ... I have got no higher priority than making sure that Americans who are being illegally detained in one way or another around the world come home,” Blinken said Sunday on CNN. But “I can’t comment in any detail on what we’re doing, except to say this is an absolute priority.”

Griner has received an outpouring of support stateside amid her detention. The WNBA named her an honorary All-Star for the 2022 season this month, and several stars have spoken out to call for her release.

Phoenix Mercury star Brittney Griner will have a preliminary hearing Monday in Moscow, her lawyer Alexander Boikov told ABC News' Teddy Grant.

Griner has remained detained for 129 days after she was arrested at a Moscow airport in February for allegedly possessing vape cartridges with hashish oil in her baggage.

A Russian court extended Griner's detention until at least July 2. She faces up to 10 years in prison if found guilty of smuggling a narcotic substance.

Early on, those close to the 31-year-old largely remained quiet in the hope the matter could be resolved behind the scenes. There was also a fear her arrest could become a geopolitical issue if it garnered sufficient public attention.

However, that hope has largely gone out the window.

The United States officially classified Griner as "wrongfully detained" in early May. On June 13, a contingent of Mercury representatives met with officials from the U.S. State Department.

One day later came news of Griner's detention getting extended.

"I've seen the reports emanate from Russia that her detention has been extended," State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters. "Our position for some time on this has been very clear: Brittney Griner should not be detained."

The extent to which the U.S. government is helping the Griner family has come under scrutiny in recent days, though.

Griner's wife, Cherelle, told Eric Tucker and Doug Feinberg of the AP she was unable to speak with Griner because phone calls Griner made to the U.S. embassy in Russia went unanswered.

According to the report, Griner was instructed to call the embassy, at which point she would've been forwarded to Cherelle in Phoenix. However, nobody was at the embassy desk to answer the phone.

The State Department described it as a "logistical error."

Price said the call "will take place in relatively short order" without specifying when Brittney and Cherelle will have another opportunity to converse with one another.

The Phoenix Mercury announced that the team and center Tina Charles have agreed to a "contract divorce," thus immediately ending her nearly five-month tenure with the team.

Charles' resume includes the 2012 WNBA MVP, eight WNBA All-Star honors and five placements on the All-WNBA first team, among other accolades. The former UConn star has also won three Olympic gold medals with Team USA.

The 33-year-old is also a four-time rebounding champion and two-time scoring champion who led the league with 23.4 points per game last year as a member of the Washington Mystics.

The Mercury made some seismic moves this offseason after falling short in the 2021 WNBA Finals to the Chicago Sky by adding Diamond DeShields via trade and Charles in a signing announced on Feb. 4.

However, this season has not gone as planned.

Phoenix has gone through the entire campaign without superstar center Brittney Griner, who is currently being detained in Russia after officials claimed they found cannabis oil in her luggage at a Moscow airport on Feb. 17. The State Department reclassified Griner as "wrongfully detained" in May. She has been detained for a total of 128 days.

Without Griner, the 6-12 Mercury have lost three straight games and sport the third-worst record in the league. Their defensive efficiency ranks second-last in the league, per Basketball Reference. The season also just reached its nadir following back-to-back losses to the Minnesota Lynx, who were last in the league with a 3-13 record before facing Phoenix.

Charles has done well, averaging 17.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. With that, she's now the most valuable available free agent out there, and teams should be clamoring to land her for the back half of the year.

As for Phoenix, this is appearing to be a lost season. The Mercury are only three-and-a-half games back of Atlanta Dream for the final playoff spot with 18 matchups to go, but they've been going in the wrong direction ever since an early 2-1 start.

Sans Charles, the Mercury will open the second half of their 2022 season against the Dallas Wings on the road Saturday.

Brittney Griner will be a WNBA All-Star for the eighth time in her career.

The league announced Wednesday that Griner, who has been detained by authorities in Russia since February, was named an honorary All-Star starter. The U.S. State Department has classified the Phoenix Mercury star as wrongfully detained for 125 days as of Wednesday.

"During each season of Brittney's career in which there has been an All-Star Game, she has been selected as an All-Star," WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said. "It is not difficult to imagine that if BG were here with us this season, she would once again be selected and would, no doubt, show off her incredible talents. So, it is only fitting that she be named as an honorary starter today and we continue to work on her safe return to the U.S."

On Monday the Mercury tweeted "123 days. Bring Brittney home."

This announcement comes after Eric Tucker of the Associated Press reported a scheduled phone call between Griner and her wife, Cherelle, that was supposed to take place on their fourth anniversary on Saturday never happened because of what a government official said was an "unfortunate mistake."

Cherelle Griner and Brittney Griner have not spoken on the phone since she was detained at a Moscow airport in February. Administration officials said Tuesday they were working to reschedule the call.

As for the All-Star Game, the WNBA announced the other starters Wednesday as well.

A'ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces and Breanna Stewart of the Seattle Storm will be paired with retiring legends Sue Bird of the Storm and Sylvia Fowles of the Minnesota Lynx and will draft from a list of other starters and reserves on July 2.

Connecticut Sun forward Jonquel Jones, Los Angeles Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike, Chicago Sky forward Candace Parker, New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu, Las Vegas guard Kelsey Plum and Las Vegas guard Jackie Young will also be starters for the July 10 game in Chicago.

Griner made her seventh All-Star Game last season when she averaged 20.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game.

A phone call between Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner and her wife, Cherelle Griner, has been rescheduled after an attempt for the two to connect Saturday failed following a "logistical error," per Eric Tucker of the Associated Press.

The Griners have not spoken since Russian officials detained the WNBA star on Feb. 17 after claiming they discovered vape cartridges with cannabis oil in her baggage during a check at a Moscow airport. She has been detained for 124 days as of Tuesday.

State Department spokesman Ned Price admitted that a logistical error prevented the call from going through Saturday. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Tuesday that the State Department is arranging a rescheduled call but did not reveal when that would take place.

Cherelle Griner told Tucker and colleague Doug Feinberg that Brittney Griner tried to call her 11 times through the United States embassy in Russia, but the desk where the phone was located did not have staffing.

"I find it unacceptable and I have zero trust in our government right now," Cherelle Griner said. "If I can’t trust you to catch a Saturday call outside of business hours, how can I trust you to actually be negotiating on my wife's behalf to come home? Because that's a much bigger ask than to catch a Saturday call."

Griner also said that the phone call "had been scheduled for almost two weeks—with a weekend date" that coincided with their wedding anniversary.

According to Price, there are staffing limitations because of Russian government restrictions on the embassy and its operations.

A senior State Department official said that the call was originally slated to funnel through the embassy's Marine Guard station but that it somehow got routed through an unstaffed, remote location.

The State Department said in May that Griner is being wrongfully detained. Per Russian state-run news agency Tass, officials extended Griner's detention until Saturday, July 2.

The wife of wrongfully detained Phoenix Mercury star Brittney Griner says she was unable to speak with Griner over the phone this past weekend because calls to the American embassy in Moscow went unanswered.

Cherelle Griner told the Associated Press' Eric Tucker and Doug Feinberg on Monday that Brittney attempted 11 times to phone her through the U.S. embassy. However, nobody was at the desk to pick up the call.

Cherelle said she was "distraught," "hurt" and "fed up" following the situation.

Tucker and Feinberg provided additional context:

"The experience has further exacerbated already simmering frustrations about the U.S. government's response to her wife's case. U.S. officials have repeatedly said they are working behind the scenes to get the two-time Olympian home from Russia and consider her case a top priority. But Cherelle Griner said she remains 'very pissed' by the snafu, especially since the call had been on the schedule for two weeks and yet no one warned her during that time that it might be logistically impossible because of the weekend."

Griner has remained detained in Russia for 123 days. She was arrested in February at a Moscow airport for allegedly having cannabis oil in her luggage. Last week, a Russian court extended her detention until at least July 2.

Shortly after Griner's arrest was reported in the U.S., there was a level of caution about how much to publicize her cause and call for her release. Tom Firestone, a former legal adviser for the U.S. embassy in Moscow, told ESPN's T.J. Quinn and Mechelle Voepel that her plight could become a political issue if it gained widespread attention.

However, the U.S. government officially classified Griner as "wrongfully detained" in early May, which meant government representatives would start working to get her home. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Cherelle on May 14 to reassure her the State Department was doing what it could to resolve the matter.

On June 13, representatives from the Mercury met with State Department officials:

But the government is bound to draw renewed scrutiny in the wake of the AP's report.

Cherelle, who has not spoken with her wife on the phone since the ordeal began, told Tucker and Feinberg she has "zero trust in our government right now."