After her terrifying ordeal in Russia last year, WNBA superstar Brittney Griner has been named one of the 100 most influential of 2023 by TIME Magazine. And as part of that announcement, one of Griner’s former United States National Team teammates had plenty to say about her.
Sue Bird, a five-time Olympic-gold-medalist who played alongside Brittney Griner for the United States National Team, wrote a bold message about Griner for TIME.
“Brittney Griner’s story represents so much. First off, it’s about resilience. BG spent nearly 10 months in Russian prison, wrongfully detained, but never lost hope or her sense of humor. She was BG, through and through, throughout her horrible ordeal.”
“But underneath this story of inner strength is so much more. BG’s wrongful detainment brought attention to issues like the inequities in pay for women athletes, which sometimes compel us to put ourselves in dangerous situations to maximize our financial worth. It brought to light the dozens of Americans wrongfully detained around the world, and BG continues to use her platform as a sports superstar to advocate for their release. It speaks to the power of the women who rallied around her—Black women, members of the LGBTQ+ community, our WNBA community—and who made certain her name was never forgotten, that she’d return home. These are the women who get [stuff] done.”
“Knowing BG, she’ll focus on the joy and share it generously. She’s back, and I can’t wait to hug her when I see her. #WeAreBG”
From that message, it’s quite clear that Bird respects Griner a lot.
