WNBA Players Won't Play In Russia This Offseason

United States center Brittney Griner high fives teammates after a play during the second half of a women’s basketball game against Senegal at the Youth Center at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Aug. 7, 2016. The United States defeated Senegal 121-56. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

WNBA stars have decided to skip the chance to play in Russia during the offseason. Many WNBA stars earn extra cash in the offseason by competing in Russia’s pro league – but the imprisonment of Brittney Griner and the ongoing Ukraine invasion has brought all that to an end.

Seattle star Breanna Stewart – who played alongside Griner in Russia – summed it up best:

“Nobody’s going to go there until she’s home,” Brittney Griner’s teammate Breanna Stewart said. https://t.co/IL2QLLRlV4

— NBC News (@NBCNews) September 20, 2022