Brittney Griner is stuck in Russia 'because of a gender issue,' a WNBA superstar says
- WNBA superstar Brittney Griner remains detained in Russia after her February arrest on drug charges.
- Fellow WNBA star and players' association President Nneka Ogwumike says it's a "gender issue."
Brittney Griner has been in Russian custody for nearly two month, arrested on drug-related charges in February.
And now, one of her fellow WNBA superstars is characterizing Griner's ongoing situation as "a gender issue."
WNBA Players Association President and six-time All-Star Nneka Ogwumike discussed the circumstances surrounding Griner's detention on "Good Morning America" Tuesday. When host Robin Roberts asked the Los Angeles Sparks star if she thinks "a gender issue is at play," Ogwumike offered a strong response.
"I mean, when is it not?" Ogwumike said. "It's disappointing that the question of it being a gender issue is top of mind now when it comes to this type of circumstance. The reality is that [Griner is] over there because of a gender issue — pay inequity."
Griner was traveling to Russia to play for European powerhouse club UMMC Ekaterinburg, as she's done every WNBA off-season since 2014. About half of WNBA players travel overseas in the winter to supplement their relatively low salaries from the domestic league. Stars command significantly higher salaries abroad than they can possibly earn in the States.
Griner is the quintessential example of that pay divide. This year, the seven-time WNBA All-Star was set to take home a league-maximum $227,900 annual base salary from the Phoenix Mercury, though she's eligible to make more between bonuses and marketing opportunities had she stayed in the US for the winter. But Griner reportedly earns $1 million per season with the UMMC Ekaterinburg, according to The Arizona Republic's Jeff Metcalfe.
"We don't want to play 12 months out of the year," Ogwumike said. "We want to play over here. We're treated well [overseas] — that is the truth — but we don't want to feel as though we have to go over there to get what we want to get at home."
Ogwumike — the 2016 WNBA MVP — played overseas herself early in her career. She spent seven years competing in Russia, Poland, and China when the WNBA season came to an end. And though she says part of the incentive for players to travel halfway across the world is "to maintain our game," Ogwumike conceded that most players head abroad "to supplement our incomes."
Having taken their games overseas for years and walked similar paths to Griner's ahead of her arrest, many players have been deeply impacted by the 6-foot-9 star's detainment. Ogwumike is no exception.
"BG is us. We are BG. That could've been us," Ogwumike said. "We're really most concerned about her health and safety — especially her mental health. We're hearing that, in that respect, she's okay. But we want her home."
The 2022 WNBA season tips off the first week of May, while Griner's next appearance in Russian court is scheduled for May 19. She faces up to 10 years in prison, and there is no timetable for her return.
Check out Ogwumike's full interview on "Good Morning America" below: