7:17 p.m. ET
Tim Bontemps ESPN
SAN FRANCISCO — Members of the Boston Celtics wore t-shirts that read “WE ARE BG” in practice Saturday ahead of Game 2 of the NBA Finals in support of WNBA superstar Brittney Griner, who remains incarcerated in Russia.
“The shirts were super important, not only to show our support for our sister Brittney Griner who is incarcerated over in Russia, we just wanted to show this togetherness and love that we have not only in the NBA but also in the WNBA ‘ said Grant Williams. “She’s been an important part of the WNBA over the years, both in college and in the crowd she’s had on young female athletes in the US and overseas.
“We hope to have her back in the States and reunited with her family and doing what she loves and bringing that love and tenacity that she always plays with to the court.”
Williams, a vice president of the National Basketball Players Association, said the jerseys are a collaboration between the NBPA and the WNBPA to show their support for Griner as she remains held in Russia, where she has been held since early February.
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“They sent her over night to bring her here for today,” Williams said. “They have done a phenomenal job and want to give them credit for making this process possible. We just wanted to do this as a team. It was one of those things that nobody questioned. Everyone said, ‘Let’s do it.’ Everyone put the shirt on as soon as we got it fresh out of the box. They were ironed and ready to use. So we wanted to show that love and support.”
A seven-time All-Star and 2014 WNBA champion, Griner, 31, has been one of the best players in the league since she was drafted by Phoenix Mercury in 2013 as the No. 1 overall pick from Baylor, where she won one championship a year 2012
The 6-foot-9 center has been in custody since his arrest at an airport in mid-February, with the United States government saying Griner was wrongfully arrested.
For the Celtics, it was a chance to show solidarity with Griner during the NBA championship round and draw the attention of the basketball world to them.
“As a collective, we wanted to come out and show our support for Brittney Griner,” said Celtics star Jaylen Brown. “She’s been over there for a while and we feel like enough is enough.”
Jayson Tatum met Griner while both were members of Team USA at last year’s Summer Olympics in Tokyo. He said restrictions on player movement due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic meant he had the opportunity to spend significant time with Griner and enjoyed being in their company.
“Over there at the Olympics it was obviously during COVID and so we couldn’t really go out and see other events and things like that,” Tatum said. “After the games, after training, we were in the hospitality room, men and women. We were there, playing cards, karaoke, things like that, video games. A great person to be around. She just lightens the whole room with her personality.
“So it’s extremely difficult to see what she’s going through. I know everyone sees and feels this and obviously we all together support trying to bring her back to her family and things like that. Yes, I’m wearing these shirts today in support of you.”