Stephen Curry took a moment during the ESPYs Wednesday night to call for the release of WNBA player Brittney Griner, who has been detained in Russia since February.
The Golden State Warriors superstar, who hosted the sports awards show, was joined by WNBA players Nneka Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins-Smith in calling attention to Griner’s situation. The Phoenix Mercury center was detained at a Moscow airport after Russian police said they found vape canisters with cannabis oil in her luggage.
“They’re a lot of people working hard right now to secure Brittney’s release, but as we hope for the best, we urge the entire global sports community to continue to stay energized on her behalf,” Curry said.
“We cannot stop fighting for her. We cannot stop believing for her, and we will not stop hoping for the day when we can welcome her home safely,” Curry added.
Soccer star Megan Rapinoe also spoke about Griner in her acceptance speech after winning the award for Best Play.
“I think honestly what we’ve witnessed tonight is the importance of sport and how much we can bring and how much we can get done in the world with our collective power,” Rapinoe said.
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“Every time we say her name, it puts pressure on everyone — puts pressure on the administration, puts pressure on Russia. The most striking thing is that BG isn’t here. BG deserves to be free,” the soccer player added.
Griner’s wife Cherelle was present at the ESPYs and applauded the calls to push for Griner’s release.
The Biden administration has said it is working hard to get Griner home.
