There are things that can't be ignored.
For the first time in the history of the All-Star Game, a 4-pointer was made. It seemed like every player on the court let one go. So they did. Over and over again. You couldn't help but ponder a question as each member of the starting lineup took turns hoisting shots from the logos placed a few steps past half court.
Is it possible that she would have tried one?
Bill Richardson, the former governor of New Mexico, said on Saturday that he would travel to Russia in the coming weeks in order to find a solution to bring her home. The players and the league did everything they could to make sure that this weekend was about 42.
She is a huge priority for us and we are thinking of her at the moment. She is supported by the league and we are focused on getting her home as soon as possible.
Her name and number were written on the back of the warm ups. She was given the honor of starting. It was impossible to not notice, hear, or feel something that reminded you of the elephant in the room, that one of the league's greatest players is in a foreign jail cell during a weekend in which the league celebrates it's best.
There was a cloud over the women's basketball world despite the fun that was had over the weekend. The teams posed for a picture after the game as they all wore the same jersey.
"When one of your own is obviously being wrongly held, wrong accused, and what not, it's all hands on board." The wife of a basketball player sat courtside as she made her All-Star Game debut.
The family is a family. Bringing a national light to the situation will help put pressure on the Russian government to let her go.
It's time for her to return.
The head coach of the Phoenix Mercury said something last week.
She wondered if he would be home if it was him. There is a statement about the value of women. A statement about the value of a black person. The value of a gay person is stated in the statement. That's all of them. That hurts more because we know it.
Black people have it difficult. Black women don't have it easy. Black gay women are the most difficult to get along with. Being a triple minority in Russia is difficult.
It is impossible to talk about how far we have come without mentioning who she is. During a weekend when the identities of the women in the WNBA were celebrated and uplifted, Griner's absence reminded us that equality is still far from being the norm.
It was a reminder of how far that game has come as it keeps evolving. In their final All-Star game, Sue Bird and Sylvia Fowles were honored as two of the best that have ever done it. During the second quarter, Fowles dunked in transition. The record for most points scored in a single All-Star Game is held by Maya Moore, who scored 30 points in the 2015 game. In her first All-Star Game, Plum was a starter, as she was one of nine former top picks.
The whole weekend was about who didn't get a chance to play. The basketball world made sure that she received her flowers, even though we hope and pray that she returns home soon.
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