Ben Proudfoot, director of the Oscar-winning documentary short “The Queen of Basketball,” about basketball pioneer Lusia “Lucy” Harris Stewart, used his time at the podium Sunday to address the plight of WNBA star Brittney Griner, who’s been detained in Russia for weeks.
“President Biden. Bring back Brittney Griner,” Proudfoot said, referencing the two-time Olympic gold medalist, who was arrested one week before the Ukraine war began at a Moscow airport for allegedly smuggling an illegal substance. A canine unit reportedly discovered vape cartridges with cannabis oil in her luggage. A video of the incident has circulated online.
A former Pentagon official told Yahoo Sports earlier this month that Griner, a Phoenix Mercury player who competes in Russia during the WNBA’s off-season, could be used as a “high-profile hostage” as tensions mount between President Biden and Russian President Putin over the escalating Ukrainian war.