WNBA star and two time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner is in prison in Russia. She has been in a Russian prison ever since February when she traveled to Russia to play for a Russian basketball team during the off season.

Griner was detained at a Russian airport when police dogs smelled something in her luggage. That something was hashish oil which is illegal in Russia.

It has been months since Griner arrived in Russia. She has been awaiting trial, and it is not looking good. The vast majority of people who face criminal charges in court in Russia are found guilty. Unless the United States intervenes, it is likely that Griner will spend time in jail.

On the 4th of July, Griner sent an open letter to President Biden pleading for his help getting her home.

On July 7th, Griner pled guilty to the charges against her but explained that “there was no intent. I didn’t want to break the law.” She could end up with a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

Back in the United States, many people who personally know and care about Griner are speaking out. This includes Griner’s wife, Cherelle Griner, who told Good Morning America that her wife is being held in Russia because “she’s a political pawn.”

Now, Griner’s coach, Vanessa Nygaard, is also speaking out. She didn’t infer that Griner is being held for political reasons. Instead, she compared Griner to a famous professional male basketball player, LeBron James. Nygaard said, “If it was LeBron he’d be home, right?” She added, “It’s a statement about the value of women. It’s a statement about the value of a black person. It’s a statement about the value of a gay person.”

Watch the video below to hear Nygaard’s comments for yourself and to hear more about what the media and Griner’s friends are trying to do to raise awareness about her situation.

Do you agree with Griner’s coach that “if it were LeBron he’d be home”? Do you think Griner will end up serving jail time in Russia?