PHOENIX — For as long as the Phoenix Suns are competing in the NBA playoffs, the team will honor Phoenix Mercury star Brittney Griner while she is being held in Russia.
The team announced that Griner’s initials and jersey number, “BG 42”, will be embossed at the top of the court at the Footprint Center.
Griner is still being held in Russia nearly three months after she was detained at a Moscow airport in February for allegedly having cannabis oil for a vape pen in her luggage.
It’s not clear when she’ll be released.
Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine has deeply soured the country’s relations with the United States, further complicating Griner’s return home.
Fresh off a trip to the WNBA Finals, the Mercury kicked off the season last Friday without the team’s star center.
“We think about her every day,” Mercury guard Skylar Diggins-Smith said recently. “We love her and we’re going to continue to carry her legacy, her voice and play in her honor until she gets back here with us.”
The WNBA announced that teams will honor Griner by featuring the BG 42 decals in arenas across the league until her release.
The Suns followed suit and the decals will be clearly visible as the team hosts the Dallas Mavericks in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals on Tuesday.
Tip-off is at 7 p.m.
Sports
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