Quickly the scattered yells grew to become a loud chant of “Deliver her residence!” repeated a few dozen occasions, bursting by way of the silence. Within the stands, followers interlocked arms; at middle courtroom, the groups did the identical.

The 42 seconds have been over then. However the plight of Griner, who has been detained in Russia since she was accused of illegally smuggling vape cartridges containing hashish, remained the main target right here.

The ruling didn’t shock authorized analysts who’ve adopted the case and know the Russian prison justice system, nevertheless it nonetheless unnerved individuals inside and outside of the sector.

It was “a very emotional day for our entire workforce, however we all know we weren’t hanging our hopes on the Russian authorized system,” Mercury Coach Vanessa Nygaard instructed reporters earlier than the sport. “We simply need her residence.”

Mercury star Skylar Diggins-Smith mentioned reporters’ questions on “our real-life pal” languishing behind bars “simply add to our trauma.” “No person wished to even play right this moment,” mentioned Diggins-Smith.

Within the stands, Ellyn Ruthstrom, from Melrose, Mass., mentioned she and her companion, Kara Ammon, spoke concerning the specific dangers Griner faces in Russia once they heard concerning the verdict earlier Thursday.

“We have been simply speaking about how horrible it’s for a homosexual lady of shade” to be imprisoned in Russia, Ruthstrom mentioned. “She’s a political pawn.” Ammon and Ruthstrom praised the WNBA for protecting Griner’s predicament on the forefront.

As information of the sentencing unfold, messages of “Free BG” echoed on Twitter and amongst sports activities stars.

Erica Wheeler of the Atlanta Dream tweeted: “My coronary heart goes out to BG’s household and her spouse! In the present day hit slightly completely different man like that’s our sister! I can’t even think about how her household feels! I pray God is defending her psychological however extra importantly preserve combating BG. … gotta carry you residence!”

Lexie Brown, who performs for the Los Angeles Sparks, tweeted, “Anybody that goes again to Russia to play is insane.” She added, “that is breaking my coronary heart seeing her proper now.”

The commissioners of the NBA and WNBA shared a joint assertion. “In the present day’s verdict and sentencing is unjustified and unlucky however not surprising and Brittney Griner stays wrongly detained,” Adam Silver and Cathy Engelbert mentioned. “The WNBA and NBA’s dedication to her protected return has not wavered and it’s our hope that we’re close to the tip of this means of lastly bringing BG residence to the US.”

Terri Carmichael Jackson, govt director of the Ladies’s Nationwide Basketball Gamers Affiliation, known as the choice “unjust. It’s a horrible blow. No matter conversations [Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken] and his Russian counterpart must have, we belief that they’re having them with all deliberate velocity. As a result of it’s time. It’s simply time.”

Elizabeth Rood, the U.S. Embassy’s deputy chief of mission in Moscow, known as Griner’s conviction and sentencing “a miscarriage of justice.” She spoke briefly, saying, “Secretary of State Blinken, President Biden’s nationwide safety workforce and the complete American authorities stay dedicated to bringing Ms. Griner residence safely to her household and mates.”

Biden known as for her quick launch, saying: “In the present day, American citizen Brittney Griner obtained a jail sentence that’s yet one more reminder of what the world already knew: Russia is wrongfully detaining Brittney. It’s unacceptable, and I name on Russia to launch her instantly so she will be together with her spouse, family members, mates, and teammates.”

Lindsay Kagawa Colas, Griner’s agent, known as for a deal to be “accomplished swiftly” to free her and famous that American Paul Whelan is serving a 16-year sentence in Russia. He and Griner have been talked about as a part of a prisoner change.

“In the present day’s sentencing of Brittney Griner was extreme by Russian authorized requirements and goes to show what we’ve got identified all alongside, that Brittney is getting used as a political pawn,” Colas mentioned. “We admire and proceed to help the efforts of [Biden and Blinken] to get a deal accomplished swiftly to carry Brittney, Paul and all Individuals residence. Bringing Brittney and Paul house is the only real goal, and as such, we must always use all out there instruments. We should stay centered and unified. It is a time for compassion and a shared understanding that getting a deal accomplished to carry Individuals residence will probably be laborious, however it’s pressing and it’s the proper factor to do.”

“BG is an American. BG is an Olympian. BG is an ALL-STAR. BG is a daughter, a spouse, a pal,” tweeted Cari Champion, a former ESPN host. “BG is an American. BG IS IN A CAGE. BG is ours. Deliver her residence.”

The Rev. Al Sharpton, president and founding father of the Nationwide Motion Community, known as Griner a “political pawn” and continued to ask for permission to take a delegation of clergy to go to Griner to evaluate her well being.

“The sentencing of Brittney Griner to 9 years in jail is an ethical outrage and a authorized atrocity in any courtroom on the planet. In most locations, together with the US, what she pled responsible to and was charged with wouldn’t even have merited a misdemeanor. It’s shameful and a darkish day when international athletics is subjected to politics and never due course of,” Sharpton mentioned.

“Let’s not overlook Brittney Griner not solely entertained and gained the hearts of many Individuals however for seven years entertained and gained the hearts of many Russians as she performed basketball there. Which is why her basketball coach and fellow gamers got here and testified for her. She and Paul Whelan are clearly pawns in some international political chess recreation that has nothing to do with them. They need to be instantly launched.”

Initially, negotiations for Griner’s launch have been carried out quietly, however the passage of time led to extra public requires her launch. Griner’s spouse, Cherelle, has been more and more outspoken in calling for Biden to take motion, and the State Division reclassified Griner as “wrongfully detained” in Might.

A two-time Olympic gold medalist and perennial all-star with the Mercury, Griner performed for UMMC Ekaterinburg throughout WNBA offseasons and known as Yekaterinburg her “second residence” Thursday. Moved by her relationship together with her teammates and the rising recognition of the game amongst younger women, she defined as she wept, “That’s why I saved coming again.”

Now the main target turns to negotiations to get Griner launched, that are sophisticated by a frosty relationship between the US and Russia amid its invasion of Ukraine. Final week, Blinken spoke to Russian Overseas Minister Sergei Lavrov and urged him to just accept a deal involving Griner and Whelan.

Whelan, who was arrested in 2018 and convicted of spying in 2020, has mentioned he was framed. The US has not indicated whether or not it will provide Russian Viktor Bout, an arms trafficker who was arrested in a U.S. sting operation in Thailand in 2008, in change for his or her launch.

Cindy Boren reported from Washington. Steven Burkholder reported from Connecticut.