NBA champ Robert Horry empathizes with Brittney Griner's situation: 'It's just wrong'

Robert Horry, who won seven NBA championships, talks to Fox News Digital about the Lakers, LeBron James and Brittney Griner.

NBA champion Robert Horry said Monday he can empathize with Brittney Griner’s situation.

Griner was arrested in Russia in February and last week was convicted of drug charges and sentenced to nine years in prison. The next move is likely to be increased negotiations with Moscow for a potential prisoner swap.

Horry, who was at Clayton Kershaw’s Ping Pong 4 Purpose charity event, told Fox News Digital in an interview he has an idea of what the WNBA superstar is going through.

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Brittney Griner is escorted by police before her hearing in Russia. (Getty Images)

"I had a friend. He played in Russia and he had a similar situation and it’s just rough on athletes who go there and play. I know the money is good but for me, I’d be too scared to go because you never know when you’re gonna do something … but for Brittney, I just feel sorry for her," the seven-time NBA champion said. 

"You go over there, you do something you love and you play for that country, you do a lot of great things for that country and all of a sudden they have a chance to punish you for something that you shouldn’t be punished for, it’s just wrong. And hopefully, I know it’s weird to say ‘appeal and get back’ but hopefully she gets back home soon."

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American basketball star Brittney Griner was convicted of drug charges in Russia and sentenced to nine years in prison. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, Pool)

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov last month