During Saturday’s game against the Golden State Warriors, Celtics players were seen wearing the black-orange t-shirt with ‘WE ARE BG’ written on the front part to show support for Brittney Griner. The two teams will have their Game 2 at the Chase Centre on Sunday. Get our pick and prediction for game 2 here!
Brittney Griner’s case
Griner is a seven-time All-star who played for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury. On February 17, Griner was arrested at Sheremetyevo International Airport, Russia, on drug charges. The Russian officials found vape cartridges containing hashish oil in her luggage and put her in detention.
Hashish oil, also known as cannabis oil, is illegal in Russia. The customs service stated that Griner’s case has been opened to become a large-scale drug transportation case and that could result in up to 10 years in jail in Russia.
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However, on May 3, the U.S. government declared that Griner was “wrongfully detained”, knowing she had been in detention for over 100 days. The U.S. State Department also called Griner’s return to the state a “top priority”.
Celtics show support for Griner
The Celtics used their platform in the NBA Finals to rally support for Griner ahead of their upcoming game. The Celtics’ players were seen wearing t-shirts as one of the media demanded Griner’s return to the state.
The fronts of the black t-shirts are emblazoned with the words “WE ARE BG.” A QR code is printed on the back, which leads to a Change.org petition to bring Griner home.
On Saturday, there were more than 244,000 signatures on the petition while the total needed was 300,000 signatures. The online petition itself reads, “White House and Biden Administration, we ask that you take action today – doing whatever is necessary – to bring Brittney Griner home swiftly and safely.”
The Celtics’ forward, Grant Williams, said that the t-shirts were important to show their support for their fellow athletes who were wrongfully detained.
“We just wanted to show that togetherness and love that we have throughout not only the NBA but the WNBA. She’s been a vital part of the WNBA for the years past, college and in the amount of impact she’s had on young female athletes,” he said.
Williams even asked the WNBPA and NBPA to have some extra t-shirts shipped to San Francisco so that the team could wear them for practice.
Other Celtics players, including Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, have also spoken out about the case. Brown gave a notable comment when he said, “Being an athlete, we’re not just up here to entertain you guys. We also have a voice.”
Having said that, the Celtics were united in their desire to utilize the opportunity and draw attention to the case. “She’s been over there for an extended amount of time, and we feel like enough is enough,” Brown added.
On the other hand, Tatum mentioned that Griner’s personality could set the mood of the entire room. Regarding the case, Tatum also supported and wished for Griner’s safe return to the state. Tatum had the opportunity to meet Griner when the two were named to the United States men’s and women’s national teams for 2020.