Brittney Griner pleaded guilty to possessing hash oil vape cartridges in Russia, where she faces 10 years in prison.
WNBA players union says Griner only played in Russia due to U.S. gender pay inequities — the average WNBA base salary is 2.2% that of the NBA.
Griner has been held in Russia for 4+ months over hash oil vape cartridges police said they found in her luggage.
She pleaded guilty but says there was “no intent” to break local laws. The U.S. has designated her wrongfully detained but has not outlined its next steps.
Experts believe a guilty plea would likely be a requirement of any prisoner swap between the U.S. and Russia, according to ESPN.
