NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Basketball legend Lisa Leslie is thinking about the detention of Britney Griner in Russia.
Griner was arrested in February at a Moscow airport on suspicion of possessing e-cigarette cartridges containing cannabis-derived oils. The Phoenix Mercury star was arrested and has been in custody ever since, with the first reports of her arrest appearing only at the start of the month, days after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS ADS ON FOXNEWS.COM
WNBA head coach Lisa Leslie smiles during the 2021 ATT WNBA All-Star Game on July 14, 2021 at the Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Jeff Bottari/NBAE via Getty Images)
Leslie, who played for the Los Angeles Sparks from 1997 to 2009, appeared on the “I’M A SPORTSMAN” podcast and told sports stars Brandon Marshall, Chad Ococino and Shantel Tremiter that WNBA players were told not to make a “big fuss” about the arrest. .
“So what we were told, and again, it was all kind of hearsay. We were told not to make a big fuss about this, so that they could not use her as a pawn, so to speak, this is the situation in the war. So to do it like it’s not that big of a deal, or not to do it like ‘Free Britney’ and we start this campaign and it becomes something they can use,” Leslie said.
Britney Griner of the Phoenix Mercury arrives with her Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medal ahead of her game against the Atlanta Dream on August 15, 2021 at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona. (Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images)
BRITNEY GRAINER’S ARREST: EX-PENTAGON OFFICIAL QUESTIONS VALIDITY OF THE CHARGES
“That’s what we were told. And I don’t want to say who told us. I don’t want to say who said it, but it’s kind of spreading in the world of women’s basketball.”
Leslie explained that she was afraid of what would happen to Griner while she was in Russia.
U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said on Wednesday that a U.S. embassy official was recently able to see Griner and she was reportedly in “good condition.” The Russian government allowed the US to grant consular access to Griner weeks after news of her arrest became known.
Britney Griner of the United States during the women’s basketball semi-final match between the United States and Serbia at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games on August 6, 2021 in Saitama, Japan. (Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert told Insider that the league is in daily contact with the agent and the Griner family.
“We are in daily contact with her agent, her family, her legal representative. So everyone is coordinating it and obviously we don’t want to do or say anything that could compromise her safety,” Engelbert said.
Kate Fagan of Meadowlark Media on March 5 also explained why Griner’s arrest was not immediately made public.
Griner faces up to 10 years in a Russian prison if found guilty.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Her detention was extended until May 19, according to Russian media.