Several WNBA players competing in Russia make plans to leave following invasion of Ukraine, agents say

Several WNBA players currently competing in Russia are making plans to leave the country as a safety precaution following the invasion of Ukraine, multiple agents told EPN on Sunday.

The majority of the WNBA's players compete overseas in the winter months, with several league standouts in Russia. Typically, some players are there as late as April or early May. The 2022 WNBA season begins May 6.

Agents asked that their clients who are in Russia not be identified at this point for safety reasons.

Longtime agent Mike Cound explained to ESPN that he had experience himself with needing to be evacuated from overseas, which came when he was working for the U.S. government during the Gulf War in the early 1990s. Cound put together a document explaining the current situation for his clients, who also shared it with other players.

«For me, it's way past 'considering' leaving,» Cound told ESPN on Sunday. «I've been on the phone with two players in the past few minutes working out flights. It's really urgent now in terms of there being a dwindling number of flights leaving Russia, and they are going to be hard to get real soon. They are probably fine if they stay put, but if things get worse, that may not be the case. My idea is, 'Get them out now if we can.' And if we can't, we get them to hunker down and stay safe.»

Cound said some players may be moving to play for other teams in Europe.

Other agents also said Sunday they are working on plans to help clients leave Russia, or are having serious discussions about it. One agent said her clients would wait until Monday to make a decision, but she expects they will leave. Most said they don't think the players are in immediate danger, but that if the situation worsens they could be, or