LOS ANGELES (AP) — NBA Finals MVP Stephen Curry hosted The ESPYS on Wednesday and joined WNBA players Nneka Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins-Smith in calling attention to detained WNBA star Brittney Griner’s plight.
Griner was arrested in Russia in February after customs officials said they found vape canisters containing cannabis oil in her luggage. She faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted on charges of transporting drugs.
“It’s been 153 nights now that BG has been wrongfully detained thousands of miles away from home, away from her family, away from her friends, away from her team,” Diggins-Smith said. “All throughout that time, we’ve kept her in our thoughts and in our hearts even though we know that ain’t nearly enough to bring her home, y’all.”
Wearing her Phoenix Mercury jersey under his track suit, Curry noted the effort being made to free Griner.
“But as we hope for the best, we urge the entire global sports community to continue to stay energized on her behalf,” he said. “She’s one of us, the team of athletes in this room tonight and all over the world. A team that has nothing to do with politics or global conflict.”
They were applauded by Griner’s wife, Cherelle Griner, who was in the audience at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
Curry picked up a trophy, too, for best record-breaking performance, having set the mark for most 3-pointers made in league history. He also shared the best team award with the NBA champion Golden State Warriors.
And teammate Klay Thompson won Best Comeback Athlete for his championship-winning return to the court after 941 days following back-to-back injuries — a ruptured Achilles while rehabbing a torn ACL.
ESPN college basketball broadcaster and former Pistons coach Dick Vitale received the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance. The 83-year-old has undergone multiple melanoma surgeries and six months of chemotherapy for lymphoma over the last year. In March, he said he was cancer free.
Vitale dismissed messages on the teleprompter urging him to conclude his remarks, which stretched to 20 minutes.
“I’m gonna wrap up in about three minutes,” he said in a raspy voice. “Jimmy’s dream was to beat cancer. We must do it because it doesn’t discriminate. It comes after all.”
