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Tag: WNBA
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WNBA star Brittney Griner released by Russia in prisoner swap
WNBA star Brittney Griner released by Russia in prisoner swap – CBS News
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Brittney Griner released by Russia in 1-for-1 prisoner swap for arms dealer Viktor Bout
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Washington — Brittney Griner, the WNBA star who was held for months in Russian prisons on drug charges, was released Thursday in a one-for-one prisoner swap for international arms dealer Viktor Bout, bringing an end to an ordeal that sparked intensive high-level negotiations between the U.S. and the Kremlin to secure her freedom.
“She’s safe. She’s on a plane,” President Biden said at the White House, announcing the exchange.”She’s on her way home, after months of being unjustly detained in Russia, held under intolerable circumstances. Brittney will soon be back in the arms of her loved ones and she should have been there all along. This is a day we’ve worked toward for a long time. We never stopped pushing for her release.”
CBS News was first to report the swap, which took place in the United Arab Emirates, after it was confirmed by a U.S. official. The exchange agreement negotiated with Moscow in recent weeks was given final approval by Mr. Biden within just the last week, according to sources familiar with the deal.
Five former U.S. officials told CBS News the agreement had been reached as of last Thursday.
The president said he spoke to Griner by phone from the Oval Office, where he was joined by Griner’s wife Cherelle, Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Per standard procedure for freed U.S. prisoners, Griner was expected to quickly undergo a medical evaluation.
Mr. Biden said that he was “glad to be able to say Brittney is in good spirits,” and that she was looking forward to getting home. The president dismissed the “show trial in Russia” that landed her in prison and said “she didn’t ask for special treatment.”
To secure Griner’s release, the president ordered Bout to be freed and returned to Russia. Mr. Biden signed the commutation order cutting short Bout’s 25-year federal prison sentence.
Notably, the Griner-for-Bout exchange leaves retired U.S. Marine Paul Whelan imprisoned in Russia. Whelan has been in Russian custody for nearly four years. He was convicted on espionage charges that the U.S. has called false.
“We’ve not forgotten about Paul Whelan,” Mr. Biden said Thursday, adding “we will never give up” on securing his release. U.S. officials told reporters that it became clear in talks with the Russians that the prospect of exchanging both Griner and Whelan for Bout was a nonstarter, with one saying the U.S. had was “a choice between bringing home one particular American — Brittney Griner — or bringing home none.”
Griner, a 32-year-old star center for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, was detained at a Russian airport in February and later pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the discovery of cannabis-derived oil cartridges in her luggage. Griner said she didn’t mean to bring the cartridges with her when she traveled to the country to play in a Russian basketball league during the WNBA offseason.
After five months of stalled diplomacy and various permutations of potential swap arrangements — including a previously unreported offer by the U.S. this past summer to send two prisoners back to Russia for the two Americans — sources say the one-for-one exchange came together over the last two weeks.
Whelan, who once worked as a corporate security contractor, was in Moscow for a friend’s wedding when he was detained at a hotel in December 2018. Russian authorities later sentenced him to 16 years in prison for espionage — a charge the U.S. and Whelan denied. This month marks the fourth anniversary of Whelan’s time in Russian custody.
Bout, who was most recently held at a federal prison in Marion, Illinois, was arrested by the Drug Enforcement Agency in Thailand following a sting operation in 2008. He was convicted of conspiring to kill Americans and began his 25-year sentence a decade ago.
Griner’s arrest coincided with the February start to Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, and all U.S. dealings with the Kremlin have been complicated by that conflict. The U.S. has said both Griner and Whelan were “wrongfully detained,” and officials have suspected that Russia has been using the American prisoners as leverage.
Griner’s return for Bout marks the Biden administration’s second prisoner swap with Russia. In April, the U.S. traded Konstantin Yaroshenko, a Russian smuggler convicted of conspiring to import cocaine, for Trevor Reed, a former U.S. Marine who had been imprisoned in Russia for nearly three years.
CBS News learned last Thursday that the Griner-for-Bout swap was in the offing but agreed to a White House request to hold the reporting because officials expressed grave concern about the fragility of the then-emerging deal.
The Biden administration officials warned that making details of the swap public beforehand would almost certainly lead Russia to pull out of the agreement and potentially endanger Griner’s well-being.
Nancy Cordes, Ed O’Keefe, Sara Cook, Camilla Schick, Tucker Reals, Haley Ott and Melissa Quinn contributed reporting.
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The Celebrity-Athlete’s Pathway; Why Professional Athletes Are Investing Heavily Into Real Estate
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HIGHLAND PARK, IL – OCTOBER 21: A gate with the number 23 controls access to the home of basketball … [+]
The careers of most athletes are short-lived. 3.5 years is typically the average number of years WNBA players have to play at a high level. To most athletes, each day isn’t just a chance to get better on the court, but also a day to prepare for what the future may hold.
Liberian-American basketball star Matee Ajavon went on to have an illustrious start to her career by winning the Gold Medal in the Pan-American Games in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil while attending Rutgers University. Her team, led by the famous Coach C. Vivian Stringer also went to the 2007 NCAA Championship Game vs. Tennessee University only to fall short of a win.
When the Houston Comets drafted Matee Ajavon as the fifth overall pick in the 2008 WNBA Draft, she instantly knew she had been given an opportunity that most athletes only dream of throughout their lifetime. Matee was 1 of the 144 women that could actually call themselves a WNBA pro.
Her career beat the odds by lasting for a total of 10 years. Matee played with the Houston Comets (1 year), Washington Mystics (5 years), and Atlanta Dream for the last 4 years of her career. She also played in 5 different countries that included Turkey, Brazil, Israel, Poland and Romania in the off-season. Going overseas allowed some WNBA players to earn up to 10x the salary they would in the WNBA.
LOS ANGELES, CA – JULY 16: Matee Ajavon #10 of the Atlanta Dream handles the ball against the Los … [+]
In the latter stages of her career, Matee admits that she always felt the need to diversify and invest her earnings. Her search eventually led her to Real Estate Gurus; a company led by Real Estate professional Justin Giles. Giles introduced a then-retired Matee Ajavon to a whole new world by helping her build a real estate investment business.
Giles is a well-known real estate advisor and licensed real estate broker of 17+ years and has been behind the making of quite a few athlete-turned-real estate investors. He utilizes his social media platform on Instagram to educate and connect his many followers on ways to simply start investing in real estate.
His strategies, as explained in two of his books, Zero Down and Learn To Fish And Eat Forever, have also been widely received and critically acclaimed.
The number of former and current athletes investing in real estate has multiplied over time. Roger Staubach, Emmitt Smith, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, David Robinson, Alex Rodriguez, & Martin Braithwaite immediately come to mind,
A Familiar Market
Professional athletes, especially in leagues like the NBA, WNBA, or the NFL, are traded quite often from team to team during their careers. This also means they have to purchase or rent properties from different parts of the country.
Athletes rarely have the chance to play for their home teams, which means they are likely to maintain at least two properties at any given time. One of them being their home state and the other being their current location.
While many A-list players may have people who put property deals together for them, most others have to get involved personally. In turn, this puts them squarely in the bustle of the industry. Whether knowing or unknowingly, many athletes end up as real estate investors or somewhat develop an idea or love for the industry.
Senegalese-born former Chicago Bulls star Luol Deng started a real estate symposium to educate players on the value of the sector. At the time he said, “I’ve always had a love for real estate and wanted to do something in Chicago for a long time,”
“We talk about players going broke, but we don’t talk about why that is happening,” Deng says. “The symposiums were a way to teach players about real estate and foster a better understanding of these kinds of investments.”
CHICAGO, IL – MAY 15: Luol Deng #9 of the Chicago Bulls attempts to steal the ball from LeBron … [+]
A Low Entrance Bar And High Availability
Few people consider the real estate market as having a low entrance bar because of the high prices quoted for properties. Not every athlete can afford to splash $36 million on a Beverly Hills mansion like LeBron. But according to Giles, they don’t have to;
“Athletes are often looking to invest their earnings and savings into the real estate industry. So they have to learn the art of finding the best deals from anywhere in the country. At every price point, there will always be an available and lucrative property somewhere and also loans available to help anyone acquire properties.”
“Even though some pro-athletes may be familiar with buying and selling properties, they still need to learn the small details of how to actually buy and sell properties as a ‘real business’. The first thing is learning how to find these deals that may not be in plain sight, next how to renovate these properties with the help of contractors, and last and definitely not least, how to turn it into healthy profits.”
The real estate market also offers many options for investment; while athletes like the NFL’s William Sweet buys and rent out their properties, others could choose to flip homes or buy and hold assets as part of their real estate portfolio.
DENVER, CO – AUGUST 29: William Sweet #75 of the Arizona Cardinals walks in the bench area during a … [+]
“There are properties that are entering foreclosure, and I teach people how to stop a foreclosure even 24 hours before the auction.” Giles explains, “There are houses owned by deceased individuals who passed on without a will. Whenever that happens, there are ways to help their heirs claim these properties and then purchase the properties from them. If you know where to look, properties are always available using these strategies”
Robbie Fowler, an ex-Liverpool Football Club and England FC star who is now estimated to be worth roughly £30 million ($34 million) also opined, “Don’t get me wrong, not everything went into property at the time. And I didn’t just invest on my own, because when I was 18, I was on next to nothing and I couldn’t afford it, regardless of what people think about football players”.
“I invested with partners. It was all through the advice I was given, not because I knew anything or wanted to know it, it was totally by accident”.
He continued, “When you’re 18, I think it is probably the last thing on your mind. You’re obviously signing new contracts and you want to go out, you probably want a new car, and you’ll get all the things that you haven’t had”.
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – MARCH 04: Roar coach Robbie Fowler poses during an International Champions Cup … [+]
“But then all of a sudden, there comes a time when you think: Uh, I need to pull the reins in a little bit here and maybe look after my life after football. When I was 18, that was far from my mind, but over the years, it does materialise that way”.
Passive Income
Every investor’s dream is to have a portfolio that yields more passive income than active income. Athletes and celebrities often invest in stocks and bonds to get passive income, but the fluctuating markets have dissuaded many of them and made real estate investing a bit more attractive. This desire for passive income has led several pro athletes to invest in real estate investment trusts (REITs). While REITs are often considered safe, they are also more of a long-term strategy.
“After the housing crash of 2008, I found myself in so much debt. But somehow, I decided to stick with real estate, and over time I have devised investment strategies that make investing in real estate virtually recession-proof.” Giles believes that there is no such thing as a bad property market.
Justin Giles – The Celebrity-Athlete’s Pathway; Why Professional Athletes Are Investing Heavily Into … [+]
If the storied investment successes of NBA greats like Shaquille O’Neal and Magic Johnson are anything to go by, pro athletes will be investing in real estate for quite some time.
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Josh Wilson, Contributor
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CBS Evening News, November 3, 2022
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CBS Evening News, November 3, 2022 – CBS News
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U.S. diplomats granted access to Brittney Griner
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U.S. diplomats granted access to Brittney Griner – CBS News
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Russian court upholds WNBA star Brittney Griner’s 9-year prison sentence
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A Russian court on Tuesday upheld American basketball star Brittney Griner‘s nine-year prison sentence for drug possession, rejecting her appeal in a session where she appeared via video call from a penal colony outside Moscow. Griner can still appeal to a higher court, but her lawyers have yet to confirm whether they will take the case further.
In the ruling, the court stated that the time Griner will have to serve in prison will be recalculated with her time in pre-trial detention taken into account. One day in pre-trial detention will be counted as 1.5 days in prison, so the basketball star will have to serve around eight years in prison.
The decision clears the way for the WNBA star to serve that sentence in a penal colony, unless the U.S. government negotiates a deal.
The eight-time all-star center with the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and a two-time Olympic gold medalist was convicted on August 4 after police said they found vape canisters containing cannabis oil in her luggage at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport.
“This has been very traumatic experience, waiting for this day, waiting for the first court, and getting nine years for a crime that I was barely over the significant amount,” Griner told the Moscow hearing on Tuesday. “I don’t understand the first court’s decision to give one year less than the max when I’ve been here almost 8 months, and people with more severe crimes have gotten less than what I was given… I really hope that the court will adjust this sentence, because it’s been very, very stressful and very traumatic to my mental and psyche, being away from my family and not being able to communicate.”
“While their legal system is very different from ours, there is no doubt that the original sentence she received was extreme, even for the Russian legal system,” the WNBA said in a statement after Tuesday’s decision. “This appeal is further verification that BG is not just wrongfully detained – she is very clearly a hostage. Let us not be divided in this moment. Rallying around BG and all wrongfully detained Americans is the common thread of humanity that unites us without regard to ideology or political party. We must unite and support the stated public commitment of the Biden Administration and Congressional leaders to do everything possible to get her home.”
Earlier this month, Brittney’s wife, Cherelle Griner, told “CBS Mornings” co-host Gayle King that she was terrified of the WNBA star’s fate.
“It’s like a movie for me. I’m like, ‘In no world did I ever thought, you know, our president and a foreign nation president would be sitting down having to discuss the freedom of my wife.’ And so to me, as much as everybody’s telling me a different definition of what B.G. is, it feels to me as if she’s a hostage,” Cherelle said.
“That must scare you,” King replied.
“It terrifies me because, I mean, when you watch movies, like, sometimes those situations don’t end well. Sometimes they never get the person back,” said Cherelle.Griner’s February arrest came at a time of heightened tensions between Moscow and Washington, just days before Russia sent troops into Ukraine. At the time, Griner was returning to Russia, where she played during the U.S. league’s offseason.
EVGENIA NOVOZHENINA / REUTERS
During her trial, Griner admitted that she had the canisters in her luggage, but testified that she had inadvertently packed them in haste and that she had no criminal intent. Her defense team presented written statements that she had been prescribed cannabis to treat pain.
The nine-year sentence was close to the maximum of 10 years, and Griner’s lawyers argued after the conviction that the punishment was excessive. They said in similar cases defendants have received an average sentence of about five years, with about a third of them granted parole.
Before her conviction, the U.S. State Department declared Griner to be “wrongfully detained” — a charge that Russia has sharply rejected.
Reflecting the growing pressure on the Biden administration to do more to bring Griner home, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken took the unusual step of revealing publicly in July that Washington had made a “substantial proposal” to get Griner home, along with Paul Whelan, an American serving a 16-year sentence in Russia for espionage.
Blinken didn’t elaborate, but The Associated Press and other news organizations have reported that Washington has offered to exchange Griner and Whelan for Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer who is serving a 25-year sentence in the U.S. and once earned the nickname the “merchant of death.”
The White House said it has not yet received a productive response from Russia to the offer.
Russian diplomats have refused to comment on the U.S. proposal and urged Washington to discuss the matter in confidential talks, avoiding public statements.
In September, U.S. President Joe Biden met with Brittney’s wife, Cherelle, as well as the player’s agent, Lindsay Colas. Biden also sat down separately with Elizabeth Whelan, Paul Whelan’s sister.
The White House said after the meetings that the president stressed to the families his “continued commitment to working through all available avenues to bring Brittney and Paul home safely.”
The Biden administration carried out a prisoner swap in April, with Moscow releasing Marine veteran Trevor Reed in exchange for the U.S. releasing a Russian pilot, Konstantin Yaroshenko, convicted in a drug trafficking conspiracy.
Moscow also has protested the arrest of another Russian currently in U.S. custody, Alexander Vinnik, who was accused of laundering billions of dollars via an illicit cryptocurrency exchange. Vinnik had been in custody in Greece after being arrested there in 2017 at U.S. request before being extradited to the U.S. in August. It wasn’t clear if Russia might demand Vinnik’s release as part of a potential swap.
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Brittney Griner’s wife on WNBA star’s detention in Russia
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Brittney Griner’s wife on WNBA star’s detention in Russia – CBS News
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Tiffany Jackson, Former Texas WNBA Star, Dies At 37
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AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Tiffany Jackson, a former standout at the University of Texas who was the No. 5 pick in the WNBA draft in 2007 and played nine years in the league, has died of cancer, the school announced. She was 37.
Jackson, who was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, died Monday. She was hired as head coach at Wiley College in April.
Jackson was a three-time All-Big 12 selection and was voted the national freshman of the year by the U.S Basketball Writers Association in 2004. She finished her Texas career ranked in the top five in career points, rebounds and steals. She is the only Longhorns player to reach 1,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, 300 steals and 150 blocks in a career.
“Tiffany had a great career and was an impact player,” former Texas coach Jody Conradt said. “She was recognized for her all-around game and the fact that she was tremendously mobile and could play multiple positions. She was beloved by teammates, and we share in the sadness of her passing.”
Jackson was drafted by the WNBA’s New York Liberty. She also played for the Tulsa Shock and the Los Angeles Sparks. Her best pro season came in 2011 with Tulsa when she averaged 12.4 points and 8.4 rebounds.
After her cancer diagnosis, Jackson managed to return to the court to play a final season with Los Angeles in 2017 before retiring at age 32. She was an assistant coach at Texas for two seasons.
“We are deeply saddened to hear the news of the passing of Tiffany Jackson, one of the greatest players in the history of Texas women’s basketball,” Texas coach Vic Schaefer said. “I know she was so excited to be the head coach at Wiley College for the upcoming season. She will be sorely missed by so many. Our deepest sympathies go out to her family.”
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Brittney Griner’s appeal against her nine-year prison sentence will be held Oct. 25, Russian court says
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A Russian court on Monday set Oct. 25 as the date for American basketball star Brittney Griner’s appeal against her nine-year prison sentence for drug possession.
Griner, an eight-time all-star center with the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and a two-time Olympic gold medalist, was convicted Aug. 4 after police said they found vape canisters containing cannabis oil in her luggage at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport.
The Moscow region court said it will hear her appeal.
Griner admitted that she had the canisters in her luggage, but testified that she had inadvertently packed them in haste and that she had no criminal intent. Her defense team presented written statements that she had been prescribed cannabis to treat pain.
Her February arrest came at a time of heightened tensions between Moscow and Washington, just days before Russia sent troops into Ukraine. At the time, Griner, recognized as one of the greatest players in WNBA history, was returning to Russia, where she played during the U.S. league’s offseason.
The nine-year sentence was close to the maximum of 10 years, and Griner’s lawyers argued after the conviction that the punishment was excessive. They said in similar cases defendants have received an average sentence of about five years, with about a third of them granted parole.
Before her conviction, the U.S. State Department declared Griner to be “wrongfully detained” – a charge that Russia has sharply rejected.
Reflecting the growing pressure on the Biden administration to do more to bring Griner home, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken took the unusual step of revealing publicly in July that Washington had made a “substantial proposal” to get Griner home, along with Paul Whelan, an American serving a 16-year sentence in Russia for espionage.
Blinken didn’t elaborate, but The Associated Press and other news organizations have reported that Washington has offered to exchange Griner and Whelan for Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer who is serving a 25-year sentence in the U.S. and once earned the nickname the “merchant of death.”
The White House said it has not yet received a productive response from Russia to the offer.
Russian diplomats have refused to comment on the U.S. proposal and urged Washington to discuss the matter in confidential talks, avoiding public statements.
U.S. President Joe Biden met last month with Cherelle Griner, the wife of Brittney Griner, as well as the player’s agent, Lindsay Colas. Biden also sat down separately with Elizabeth Whelan, Paul Whelan’s sister.
The White House said after the meetings that the president stressed to the families his “continued commitment to working through all available avenues to bring Brittney and Paul home safely.”
The Biden administration carried out a prisoner swap in April, with Moscow releasing Marine veteran Trevor Reed in exchange for the U.S. releasing a Russian pilot, Konstantin Yaroshenko, convicted in a drug trafficking conspiracy.
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U.S. routs Canada to reach gold medal game
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SYDNEY — Breanna Stewart and the United States used a dominant defensive effort to beat Canada and reach the gold medal game of the World Cup for the fourth consecutive tournament.
Stewart scored 17 points and the Americans raced out to an early lead to put away Canada 83-43 on Friday. The 43 points was the fewest scored in a semifinal game in World Cup history.
“Canada has been playing really well all tournament and the goal was just to come out there and really limit them,” said U.S. forward Alyssa Thomas. “We were really locked in from the jump with our game plan.”
The Americans will face either China or Australia, who played later in the day, for the gold.
“Our goal was to to win a gold medal and we’re in position to do that,” U.S. coach Cheryl Reeve said.
The U.S. (7-0), which is on a record pace for points and margin of victory in the tournament, took control of the game early scoring the first 15 points. The Americans contested every shot on the defensive end as the Canadians missed their first nine attempts from the field. On the offensive end, Stewart, A’ja Wilson and Alyssa Thomas basically got any shot they wanted.
“I think after that punch, it really took the air out of them,” Thomas said. “They didn’t know what to do with their offense anymore after that.”
Laeticia Amihere, who plays at South Carolina for former U.S. coach Dawn Staley, finally got Canada on the board nearly 5 minutes into the game making a driving layup.
By the end of the quarter the U.S. led 27-7. Canada had committed four turnovers — the same number the team had against Puerto Rico in the quarterfinals which was the lowest total in a game in 30 years.
The Americans were up 45-21 at the half and the lead kept expanding in the final 20 minutes. The win was the biggest margin for the U.S. in the medal round topping the 36-point victory over Spain in the 2010 World Cup.
Canada (5-2) advanced to the medal round for the first time since 1986 and has a chance to win its first medal since taking the bronze that year.
“We didn’t get it done today, but what we’re going to do is take this with what we learned today and how we can turn it up tomorrow,” Canada captain Natalie Achonwa said. “It’s still a game for a medal and it’s just as important for us.”
The U.S. has won seven of the eight meetings with Canada in the World Cup, although the last one came in 2010. The lone victory for Canada came in 1975.
The victory was the 29th in a row in World Cup play for the Americans, who haven’t lost since the 2006 semifinals against Russia. The Soviet Union holds the World Cup record with 56 straight wins from 1959-86. This is only the second time in the Americans’ storied history they’ve reached four consecutive gold medal contests. They also did it from 1979-90, winning three times.
This U.S. team, which has so many new faces on it, is on pace to break many of the team’s records that include scoring margin and points per game. The Americans also continued to dominate the paint even without 6-foot-8 Brittney Griner, outscoring its opponents by an average of 55-24.
Amihere led Canada with eight points.
RECORD BREAKING
The low point total broke the mark of 53 that South Korea scored against Russia in 2002.
“We’re starting to build that identity,” Wilson said of the defensive effort. “We’re quick and scrappy and I think that’s our identity.”
The U.S. is averaging 101 points a game. The team’s best mark ever coming into the tournament was 99.1 set in 1994.
STILL RECOVERING
Kahleah Copper sat out after injuring her left hip in the win over Serbia in the quarterfinals. Copper landed hard on her hip driving to the basket and had to be helped off the court. She hopes to play on Saturday. Betnijah Laney, who also got hurt in the Serbia game, did play against Canada.
UP NEXT
Canada: Plays for bronze medal on Saturday.
U.S.: Plays for gold medal on Saturday.
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