Kyrie Irving calls on Biden to 'do your job' to free Brittney Griner

Brooklyn Nets point guard Kyrie Irving took heart courtroom earlier than Wednesday's recreation to concern a plea on behalf of WNBA participant Brittney Griner.

"I recognize us having the ability to share this ground collectively, all of us as brothers. However the massive image that’s happening on this planet is free our sister, Brittney Griner, please," Irving mentioned, microphone in hand, to a roar of applause from the group. "Please, POTUS, do your job. All people do your job. Please convey our sister dwelling. And we wouldn’t be doing our jobs to the most effective of our skill if we didn’t stand on what we consider in."

Griner was arrested in February for bringing vaping cartridges that contained minimal quantities of hashish oil by way of a Moscow airport. She pleaded responsible and was sentenced to a nine-year jail sentence, one yr shy of the utmost penalty she confronted underneath Russian regulation, which overwhelmingly ends in responsible verdicts. Her enchantment begins later this month.

BRITTNEY GRINER AND PAUL WHELAN COULD BE FREED BY YEAR'S END, ADVOCATE SAYS

Irving has been identified to take political stances, together with as not too long ago as March, when he price his crew a $50,000 fantastic for coming into the New York locker room whereas unvaccinated. The purpose guard was by no means barred from taking part in away video games, however he usually clashed with New York Metropolis Mayor Eric Adams's vaccine mandate.

The Brooklyn Nets would go on to lose 108-130 to the New Orleans Pelicans.