Brittney Griner's detention weighs heavily on teammates as season approaches: 'We miss her like crazy'

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The Phoenix Mercury start the 2022 WNBA season in a few weeks and, while the game-planning will be centered around the Las Vegas Aces, Brittney Griner’s detention in Russia will weigh heavily on the players' minds.

Sophie Cunningham, who along with Griner helped the Mercury get to the WNBA Finals last season, was among those who talked about the star center being absent from the team.

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Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner is shown during the first half of Game 2 of basketball's WNBA Finals against the Chicago Sky, Oct. 13, 2021, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri, File)

"We’ve just got to keep praying for her," Cunningham said Monday. "We hope she’s well. That’s all we know, you guys know as much as we do. No one wants to be in her situation. We miss her like crazy."

Cunningham emphasized she was worried for Griner as a human being, not about how her absence will affect the team going forward.

"It’s BG, there’s no one like her in the whole world. We definitely miss her, but it’s not even about basketball anymore. We just want her to be well as a human being. She has a big stage, a lot of people know her, so we want her to be on the court," she added. "Everyone who loves her just wants her to be home safe."

"BG" is the nickname given to Griner by her teammates and those around the WNBA.

Griner was arrested in February after Russian officials said a search of her luggage revealed vape cartridges containing oil derived from cannabis.

Griner could face up to a decade in prison if she’s convicted.

Diana Taurasi, Brianna Turner, Sophie Cunningham, Brittney Griner and Skylar Diggins-Smith of the