In recent weeks, there have been more and more people calling for WNBA star Brittney Griner to be freed from the Russian prison she is currently being held in.
One of those people calling for her release is Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade.
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In February, Griner was arrested at a Russian airport after officials there alleged she was in possession of vape cartridges that contained hashish oil.
There has been speculation that the evidence may have been planted on her, and that the entire case is a political ploy by Russian president Vladimir Putin to gain some sort of leverage against the United States.
The arrest happened around the time Russia invaded Ukraine, which led to crippling sanctions by America and other countries, particularly nations in Europe.
Lately, there has been speculation that Russia may agree to a prisoner swap with the U.S., which would result in Griner eventually being freed.
She pled guilty to the charges against her, and some legal experts feel it may be a pretext for such a prisoner swap.
Griner has been one of the WNBA’s top players over the last several years. Standing 6-foot-9 and weighing 205 pounds, the standout center has career averages of 17.7 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game, a league record, while shooting 56.0 percent from the field.
In 2014, she helped lead the Phoenix Mercury to the WNBA championship. She is a eight-time All-Star and a two-time Defensive Player of the Year winner.
