‘POTUS, do your job’: Kyrie Irving makes direct plea to President Biden to free Brittney Griner

Kyrie Irving followed the lead of Steph Curry on Wednesday and made a direct plea to President Biden to fee WNBA star Brittney Griner, who is imprisoned in Russia.

Griner turned 32 behind bars on Tuesday, where she has been since February after being detained for entering Russia while possession cannabis oil. Griner said she accidentally packed the vape cartridges that contained the oil while in a hurry.

In August, she was sentenced to nine years in prison, a month after the US government said it had made a significant proposal – believed to be a prisoner swap – to bring Griner and Paul Whelan, a former US marine, back to the US. 

But still Griner remains in prison and with the NBA starting this week, stars have stepped up to keep the scrutiny on the efforts to seal her release. 

Kyrie Irving made a direct plea to President Biden to free Brittney Griner from prison in Russia

Griner turned 32 behind bars on Tuesday, where she has been since February after being arrested for having cannabis oil in vape cartridges 

Irving addressed President Biden and said ‘POTUS, do your job’ before the Brooklyn Nets began the NBA season on Wednesday evening 

Speaking to the crowd at the Barclays Center, Brooklyn Nets star Irving said: ‘The big picture that’s going on in the world is to free our sister Brittney Griner.

‘Please. Please. POTUS do your job. Everybody do your job. Please bring our sister home. 

‘We wouldn’t be doing our jobs to the best of our abilities if we didn’t stand on what we believe in.’

It follows Curry taking the microphone on Tuesday before the Golden State Warriors started their regular season with a win over the Lakers.

‘We use our platform and the opportunity to shout out a very special member of the basketball community. Brittney Griner’s birthday is today, she’s 32 years old,’ he said on court.

‘We want to continue to let her name be known and it’s been 243 days since she’s been wrongfully incarcerated in Russia, we hope that she comes home soon and everybody’s doing their part to get her home.’

In September, President Biden met with Griner’s wife Cherelle to reassure her he is working to secure her freedom. 

Griner released a statement Tuesday through her attorneys who were able to visit her, according to CNN.

Steph Curry called for support for Griner in his championship ring night speech on Tuesday

WNBA star Griner turned 32 on Tuesday and she said she was thankful for all of the love and support. She holds photographs standing inside a defendants’ cage before a hearing at the Khimki Court, outside Moscow on July 27

‘Thank you everyone for fighting so hard to get me home. All the support and love are definitely helping me,’ Griner said in her message.

The statement was released through her lawyers, Maria Blagovolina and Alexander Boykov, partners with Rybalkin, Gortsunyan, Dyakin and Partners. 

On the basketball player’s birthday, the league said that they will continue to keep thinking and fighting for her until she is back on US soil. 

‘Happy Birthday Brittney Griner, we will not forget about you and we will not stop fighting for you. The W won’t be the same until you’re home #WeAreBG,’ the WNBA posted Tuesday afternoon.