Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry hosted the ESPYS on Wednesday night and bagged multiple awards. He also took the opportunity to draw attention to the predicament of WNBA star Brittney Griner, who is currently detained in Russia.
The ESPYS is ESPN's annual celebration of all things sports, held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California.
Basketball Stars Bring Awareness to Griner's Situation
Curry spoke about Griner's situation on the show with WNBA players Nneka Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins-Smith per ESPN. The US government views Griner's detention as unjust.
Diggins-Smith said: "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. Throughout that time, we've kept her in our thoughts and our hearts even though we know that ain't nearly enough to bring her home, y'all."
Curry, who was dressed in a tracksuit over Griner's Phoenix Mercury jersey, acknowledged the efforts to set Griner free.
"But as we hope for the best, we urge the entire global sports community to continue to stay energized on her behalf. 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," he said.
In the audience, Griner's wife, Cherelle Griner, applauded the basketball athletes.
Nneka Ogwumike, Stephen Curry and Skylar Diggins-Smith share a powerful message about Brittney Griner.
— ESPN (@espn) July 21, 2022
"We cannot stop fighting for her. We cannot stop believing for her. And we will not stop hoping for the day when we can welcome her home safely." pic.twitter.com/gsxFD0iUT8
US soccer star Megan Rapinoe mentioned Griner in her acceptance speech after winning the Best Play ESPY.
Rapinoe emphasized the impact of sports in bringing people together for a cause. "Every time we say her name, it puts pressure on everyone -- puts pressure on the administration, puts pressure on Russia. The most striking thing is that BG isn't here. BG deserves to be free. We can support her more and let her know that we love her so much," she said.
Warriors Win Big Time
Curry received ESPY Awards for Best NBA Player and Best Record-Breaking Performance per USA Today. As he accepted one of his trophies, Curry joked: "The only reason I really wanted to host is I thought that I would be able to present myself with the award."
Along with Curry's two honors, Klay Thompson from his squad took home the Best Comeback prize. After being out of the game for more than two years while recovering from a pair of career-altering injuries, Thompson made his victorious return to the NBA on January 9.
The award for Best Team was also given to the Warriors.
The ESPYS, an occasion that aids in spreading awareness and collecting money for the V Foundation for Cancer Research, is in its 29th year. At the inaugural ESPYS in 1993, ESPN and the late basketball coach Jim Valvano launched the organization.
Russian officials claim they found vape cartridges with hashish oil in Griner's luggage at Sheremetyevo International Airport, when Brittney Griner was detained on February 17. A criminal prosecution against Griner has been launched into the large-scale transit of drugs, which can result in a 10-year prison sentence in Russia as reported by Sports Illustrated.
This month, four days after Russian officials decided to keep her in custody into December, she entered a guilty plea to the accusations.
