Phoenix Mercury

Phoenix Mercury star Diana Taurasi will miss the remainder of the 2022 WNBA season because of a quad strain.

The team made the announcement Monday and signed Yvonne Turner to a hardship contract after Taurasi's injury.

This caps off a difficult year for the 10-time All-Star. She averaged 16.7 points, 3.8 assists and 3.4 rebounds in 31 games, shooting 37.3 percent from the field and 33.7 percent from beyond the arc.

Taurasi leaned heavily on her long-range jumper since she lacked the burst off the dribble that helped her become the WNBA's all-time leading scorer. Her 273 three-point attempts are the most in the league, and her 67.9 percent attempt rate on threes is well above her career rate (50.1), per Basketball Reference.

While Taurasi is past her prime, her absence could have a big impact on Phoenix. The Mercury have a half-game lead on the New York Liberty and a one-game edge on the Minnesota Lynx and Los Angeles Sparks for the final playoff seed with three games to play.

Vanessa Nygaard's squad is in danger of missing out on the postseason.

Nygaard can't ask much more of Skylar Diggins-Smith, who has a 28.5 percent usage rate and is performing at an MVP level.

The pressure will be squarely on Diamond DeShields, Sophie Cunningham and Shey Peddy to share more of the scoring burden. The trio had 63 points in Saturday's 76-62 win over the New York Liberty.

For Taurasi, the question becomes whether this is how a legendary career comes to an end.

Unlike Sue Bird and Sylvia Fowles, the 40-year-old hasn't announced her intentions for the 2023 season. She's a free agent in the offseason, and retirement is always on the table for a player her age.

But this probably isn't the final chapter Taurasi intended to write for herself. A season-ending injury and a losing record for the Mercury could provide enough motivation for her to return next year.

Russia is willing to engage in discussions with the United States about a possible prisoner exchange involving detained WNBA star Brittney Griner, but it warned the U.S. government about making the exchange talks public.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters Friday, per Vladimir Isachenkov of the Associated Press:

"If the Americans again try to engage in public diplomacy and make loud statements about their intention to take certain steps, it’s their business, I would even say their problem. The Americans often have trouble observing agreements on calm and professional work."

Russian spokesperson Dmitry Peskov also said Friday "the U.S. already has made mistakes, trying to solve such problems via 'microphone diplomacy.' They are not solved that way."

Griner has been detained in Russia since Feb. 17—169 days—after being arrested at a Moscow airport for carrying vape cartridges containing hashish oil in her luggage.

The 31-year-old pleaded guilty in Russian court last month and was sentenced on Thursday to nine years in prison and fined 1 million rubles (about $16,700) after Judge Anna Sotnikova found that she "intentionally broke the law."

The AP's Jim Heintz speculated last month that a guilty plea could be used as a tactic to speed up Griner's trial in order to negotiate a prisoner swap between Russia and the United States.

A potential prisoner swap could include Griner and Paul Whelan, who is being detained in Russia on espionage charges, in exchange for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, who is serving a 25-year sentence in the United States after being convicted of conspiracy to kill American citizens.

The Biden Administration classified Griner as being wrongfully detained in May, and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday that her sentence "compounds the injustice that has been done to her."

"It puts a spotlight on our very significant concern with Russia’s legal system and the Russian government’s use of wrongful detentions to advance its own agenda using individuals as political pawns," Blinken said.

Phoenix Mercury guard Skylar Diggins-Smith questioned why the WNBA proceeded with Thursday's game against the Connecticut Sun, which took place just hours after Mercury center Brittney Griner was sentenced to nine years in prison on drug charges in Russia.

"Nobody wanted to even play today," Diggins-Smith told reporters. "How are you supposed to approach the game with a clear mind when the whole group is crying before the game?"

The WNBA released a statement in coordination with a moment of silence between the teams:

Diggins-Smith explained there was a profound impact on the players following the news.

"This is our real-life friend, real-life sister," she said. "Imagine if your real-life friend or real-life sister is out here. I don't expect everybody to give a damn, but we really do. And we come out here and we're still supposed to play this game."

The Sun won the contest, 77-64.

Griner has been detained in Russia for 169 days since she was arrested at a Moscow airport in February after vape cartridges containing cannabis oil were found in her luggage.

In May, the U.S State Department classified her as wrongfully detained.

United States President Joe Biden released a statement after Thursday's verdict:

CNN and multiple other outlets have reported the U.S. proposed a prison swap that would include Griner and fellow American Paul Whelan in exchange for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, but the White House stated Russia responded with a "bad faith" counteroffer.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Griner's sentence "compounds the injustice" she's faced.

"It puts a spotlight on our very significant turn with Russia's legal system and the Russian government's use of wrongful detentions to advance its own agenda using individuals as political pawns," Blinken told reporters Friday.

Griner has played for UMMC Ekaterinburg in Russia since 2014 as one of several WNBA players who compete overseas during the offseason for supplemental income.

She's starred for the Mercury stateside with eight All-Star selections, two scoring titles and a WNBA championship in 2014.

A Russian court found Phoenix Mercury star Brittney Griner guilty of drug possession and smuggling charges on Thursday, according to Jennifer Hansler of CNN.

The judge sentenced her to nine years in prison. Prosecutors had earlier asked for a sentence of nine-and-a-half years.

Griner's defense team called the verdict "absolutely unreasonable," adding they will "certainly" appeal the decision, per Ivan Nechepurenko of the New York Times.

President Joe Biden issued a statement on the verdict as well:

Today, American citizen Brittney Griner received a prison sentence that is one more reminder of what the world already knew: Russia is wrongfully detaining Brittney. It’s unacceptable, and I call on Russia to release her immediately so she can be with her wife, loved ones, friends, and teammates. My administration will continue to work tirelessly and pursue every possible avenue to bring Brittney and Paul Whelan home safely as soon as possible.

The WNBA and NBA also issued a joint statement in response to the verdict:

Griner pleaded guilty in July, but trials in Russia continue regardless. ESPN's T.J. Quinn reported at the time the plea "was a strategy to help facilitate a prisoner swap that could bring Griner home, and it also was a recognition that there was no way she was going to be acquitted."

With the trial in its closing stages Thursday, the seven-time All-Star told the court she "made an honest mistake and I hope that in your ruling that it doesn’t end my life here."

"I want to say again that I had no intent on breaking any Russian laws," she said. "I had no intent. I did not conspire or plan to commit this crime."

Griner was arrested in February after allegedly carrying vape cartridges with cannabis oil in her luggage at a Moscow airport. The U.S. State Department classified her as wrongfully detained in May, and she has now been under arrest in Russia for 168 days.

CNN's Kylie Atwood, Evan Perez and Hansler reported on July 28 the Biden administration was ready to exchange convicted arms trafficker Viktor Bout for Griner and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan. Whelan was arrested in Moscow in 2018 on espionage charges and received a 16-year prison sentence.

However, Natasha Bertrand and Frederik Pleitgen of CNN reported on Monday that Russian officials requested to have convicted murderer Vadim Krasikov released from custody in Germany along with Bout as part of the deal.

Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a press briefing officials from the Biden administration "want to see Brittney Griner home" and "want to see Paul Whelan home." Jean-Pierre added the administration believed Russia was negotiating in bad faith and didn't table "a serious counteroffer."

John Kirby, the spokesman for the U.S. National Security Council, struck a similar tone Tuesday.

"Obviously, we’re not going to negotiate this thing in public," he told reporters at a press briefing. "And I do appreciate the question, but we...look, we’ve made a serious proposal, made a serious offer. And we urge the Russians to take that offer, because it was done with sincerity and...and we know we can back it up."

Phoenix Mercury star Brittney Griner apologized to the Russian court Thursday as her trial on drug smuggling charges draws to a close.

"I never meant to hurt anybody, I never meant to put in jeopardy the Russian population, I never meant to break any laws here," she said, per CNN. "I made an honest mistake and I hope that in your ruling that it doesn’t end my life here. I know everybody keeps talking about political pawn and politics, but I hope that that is far from this courtroom.

"I want to say again that I had no intent on breaking any Russian laws. I had no intent. I did not conspire or plan to commit this crime."

Griner pleaded guilty in July, and ESPN's T.J. Quinn reported Russian prosecutors have asked for a prison sentence of nine-and-a-half years.

The seven-time All-Star has been detained for 168 days after she was arrested for carrying vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage at a Moscow airport.

Quinn reported July 7 that Griner's guilty plea "was a strategy to help facilitate a prisoner swap that could bring Griner home, and it also was a recognition that there was no way she was going to be acquitted."

In May, the U.S. State Department determined Griner was being wrongfully detained in Russia, signalling an increased effort to secure her release.

CNN's Kylie Atwood, Evan Perez and Jennifer Hansler first reported July 28 the Biden administration was prepared to exchange convicted arms trafficker Viktor Bout for Griner and Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine arrested in 2018 on espionage charges.

Natasha Bertrand and Frederik Pleitgen of CNN reported Russian officials countered by requesting to have convicted murderer Vadim Krasikov released along with Bout.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre addressed the possible prisoner swap during a press briefing Monday.

"We put forward a substantial offer," she said. "And we—you know, we want to have a good-faith conversation on that. We want to make sure that we get this done as soon as possible. ... There was a counteroffer that was made, which we don't see it as a serious counteroffer."

Brittney Griner's trial in Russia is expected to end next week, with a verdict and sentencing set to be announced Friday, according to ESPN's T.J. Quinn.

The WNBA star has been detained in Russia for 160 days after being arrested at a Moscow airport for carrying vape cartridges that contained cannabis oil in her luggage.

The news comes after Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Wednesday that the Biden administration has offered to exchange convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout for Griner and Paul Whelan, another detained American.

"We put a substantial proposal on the table weeks ago to facilitate their release," Blinken said. "Our governments have communicated repeatedly and directly on that proposal, and I'll use the conversation to follow up personally and, I hope, to move us toward a resolution."

Griner plead guilty in Russian court earlier this month and faces up to 10 years in Russian prison if found guilty. However, per the AP's Jim Heintz, a guilty plea could be required in order to facilitate a prisoner swap.

The 31-year-old recently said in court that she did have vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage when she was detained February 17. However, she said she packed them inadvertently, but also explained that she had a doctor's recommendation for them.

Griner previously sent a letter to President Joe Biden asking for help in obtaining her freedom. At the time, Quinn shared a few excerpts from that letter:

"I realize you are dealing with so much, but please don't forget about me and the other American Detainees. Please do all that you can to bring us home. I voted for the first time in 2020 and I voted for you. I believe in you. I still have so much good to do with my freedom that you can help restore. I miss my wife! I miss my family! I miss my teammates! It kills me to know they are suffering so much right now. I am grateful for whatever you can do at this moment to get me home."

The Biden administration reclassified Griner as wrongfully detained in May, and the U.S. State Department has been working over the last several months to bring her home.

Griner was selected first overall by the Phoenix Mercury in the 2013 WNBA draft and has had an impressive career that includes seven All-Star selections in nine seasons. She has also represented the United States at the Olympics.

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the U.S. has presented Russia with a release proposal for WNBA star Brittney Griner.

Blinken said Wednesday that the United States "put a substantial proposal on the table weeks ago." He said he will demand Griner's release when he speaks to Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov.

Griner, a center with the Phoenix Mercury, has been detained by authorities in Russia since February.

Kylie Atwood, Evan Perez and Jennifer Hansler of CNN reported President Joe Biden's administration offered Russian arms trafficker Viktor Bout in a deal to return Griner and Paul Whelan to the United States.

Bout is serving a 25-year U.S. prison sentence, while Whelan has been held by Russia for alleged espionage since 2018.

According to CNN, U.S. officials familiar with U.S.-Russia negotiations said Griner's trial will need to conclude before any deal is completed.

The Associated Press (h/t ESPN) reported Griner testified during her trial Wednesday that an interpreter didn't give her a complete translation when she was detained in February, and she also wasn't explained her rights or offered a lawyer. She said she was told to sign documents without proper explanation.

While Griner pleaded guilty to having vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage when she was detained in February, she said a doctor recommended she use them for chronic pain. She also said she had no criminal intent to bring them into the country and was unsure how they were in her luggage.

The United States has officially deemed Griner, who faces up to 10 years in prison, as "wrongfully detained."

Players and teams across the WNBA and the sports world have called for Griner's return. The WNBA named her an honorary All-Star in this year's game, the eighth selection of a career that also includes two Olympic gold medals and a WNBA title.

WNBA star Brittney Griner testified at her drug trial in Russian court on Wednesday that her rights were not properly explained when she was detained at a Moscow airport in February.

Per Vladimir Isachenkov of the Associated Press, Griner said the language interpreter provided during her questioning "translated only a fraction of what was said and officials instructed her to sign documents without providing an explanation."

Griner was arrested in Russia, where she has played basketball during the WNBA offseason with UMMC Ekaterinburg since 2013, in February when a customs agent found vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her carry-on bag.

She has been detained for 160 days despite the U.S. State Department classifying her as wrongfully detained in May.

After word of Griner's detention was made public in March, many WNBA players offered their support for her and urged the United States government to take steps that would bring her back home.

Brittney's wife, Cherelle Griner, spoke with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris in June about their efforts to get Brittney home.

Griner's trial at Khimki City Court, just outside Moscow, began on July 1. The eight-time WNBA All-Star pleaded guilty to drug charges on July 7.

Per ESPN's T.J. Quinn, Griner's guilty plea was a strategic move to help facilitate a prisoner swap between Russia and the U.S.

Quinn also noted the plea was a "recognition that there was no way she was going to be acquitted."

Sean Gregory of TIME reported July 7 that a prisoner swap between the two countries remained "in play" with Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer found guilty of conspiring to sell weapons to a terrorist organization in 2011, possibly being sent back to Russia for Griner.

U.S. officials have not commented on the prospects or possibility of a prisoner trade.

Per the AP, Griner noted in her testimony on Wednesday she was "offered neither an explanation of her rights nor access to lawyers and was instructed to sign documents without receiving an explanation of what they implied."

If Griner is convicted on charges of transporting drugs, she faces up to 10 years in prison. At a closed-door preliminary hearing in June, the court extended the Phoenix Mercury star's detention by six months to Dec. 20.

There has been no official indication how long her trial will last.

On Tuesday, WNBA star Brittney Griner's lawyers testified in a Russian court about the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes in other parts of the world.

Griner, who was arrested at a Moscow airport in February for carrying vape canisters containing cannabis oil, has been in custody for 158 days and is facing up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

According to the Associated Press (h/t ESPN), one of Griner's lawyers, Alexander Boykov, said after Tuesday's hearing that while Griner accidentally brought the vape cartridges with her to Russia, it was important to explain the legality of marijuana in the United States and how and why it is used:

"We are not arguing that Brittney took it here as a medicine. We are still saying that she involuntarily brought it here because she was in a rush. The Russian public has to know, and the Russian court in the first place has to know, that it was not used for recreational purposes in the United States. It was prescribed by a doctor."

Another of Griner's lawyers, Maria Blagovolina, also commented: "We have a lot of mitigating factors. So we do hope that the court will take it into consideration. And the courts in Russia, in fact, have very broad discretion with regard to the sentence."

During Tuesday's proceedings, Griner managed to pass on a message to her wife, Cherelle Griner, telling an ABC News producer that she wanted to wish her luck on the bar exam:

In May, the United States government determined Griner was being "wrongfully detained" in Russia, per ESPN's T.J. Quinn, but any attempts to bring her back home have been unsuccessful thus far.

Earlier this month, White House officials confirmed that Griner managed to get a letter from Russia to United States President Joe Biden.

In one portion of the letter, Griner mentioned herself and other American prisoners in Russia:

"Please do all you can to bring us home. I voted for the first time in 2020 and I voted for you. I believe in you. I still have so much good to do with my freedom that you can help restore. I miss my wife! I miss my family! I miss my teammates! It kills me to know they are suffering so much right now. I am grateful for whatever you can do at this moment to get me home."

Griner, 31, has played professionally in the WNBA for the Phoenix Mercury since 2013 and has played in Russia during WNBA offseasons since 2014.

In the WNBA, Griner is an eight-time All-Star, two-time scoring champion, two-time Defensive Player of the Year and one-time WNBA champion.

She was selected as an honorary All-Star at the 2022 WNBA All-Star Game earlier this month, and every WNBA team has displayed her initials and jersey number on their courts this season.

A bipartisan resolution introduced by Sens. Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona in the United States Senate on Thursday calls for the immediate release of WNBA star Brittney Griner.

Kelly said in a statement:

"I've worked with the State Department to make sure that Brittney Griner's safe return is a top priority, and this bipartisan resolution shows the Senate's support for her as well. Brittney Griner is an inspiration to Arizonans and Americans across the country. I've had the pleasure of meeting her and seeing her talent on the court up close. The Russian government unjustly detained Brittney and we will keep working with the administration to ensure her safe and swift return."

The resolution calls for the United States to push for Griner's release in all interactions with Russia. It also calls for Russia to provide the WNBA star with consular access as she continues to remain in custody. She has been detained for 154 days as of Thursday.

In addition, it voices support for Paul Whelan, another American who is detained in Russia, and other "prisoners unjustly imprisoned in the Russian Federation."

The resolution was co-written by Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon and Sen. John Cornyn of Texas and co-sponsored by 27 senators, including Sens. Raphael Warnock, Amy Klobuchar, Dianne Feinstein, Elizabeth Warren, Ted Cruz, Cory Booker and Bernie Sanders, per ESPN's Josh Weinfuss.

Griner has been detained in Russia since February 17 after being arrested at a Moscow airport for allegedly carrying vape cartridges that contained cannabis oil in her luggage. She pleaded guilty in Russian court earlier this month and faces up to 10 years in Russian prison if convicted. The guilty plea could be a tactic to speed up the trial or be required in order to facilitate a possible prisoner swap between the U.S. and Russia, per the AP's Jim Heintz.

The 31-year-old wrote a letter directly to President Joe Biden earlier this month asking for help in obtaining her freedom.

"I realize you are dealing with so much, but please don't forget about me and the other American Detainees," an excerpt of the letter read, per ESPN's TJ Quinn. "Please do all that you can to bring us home. I voted for the first time in 2020 and I voted for you. I believe in you. I still have so much good to do with my freedom that you can help restore. I miss my wife! I miss my family! I miss my teammates! It kills me to know they are suffering so much right now. I am grateful for whatever you can do at this moment to get me home."

The Biden administration reclassified Griner as wrongfully detained in May. By doing so, the U.S. signaled that it would not wait for her case to play out in a Russian court and instead begin negotiations for her release.

Biden signed an executive order on Tuesday "aimed at increasing the flow of information to families of Americans detained abroad and at imposing sanctions on the criminals, terrorists or government officials who hold them captive," per Eric Tucker of the Associated Press.

The U.S. State Department is continuing to work diligently for Griner's release and still views the case as a "top priority."

Griner has been in the WNBA since being selected first overall by the Phoenix Mercury in the 2013 WNBA draft. Since then she has earned seven All-Star selections in nine seasons and has also represented the United States at the Olympics.