June 23, 2023
Locked On Women’s Basketball: Brittney Griner and why WNBA travel is this way
By Tee Baker
Host Jackie Powell and Ari Chambers discuss Brittney Griner and keeping players safe during travel
Host Jackie Powell is joined by the one and only Ari Chambers, founder of HighlightHER. The pair discuss how what happened to Brittney Griner on June 10 in the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport informs us on why the WNBA’s travel situation is the way that it is.
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Before Jackie and Ari discuss the larger health and safety issues of the WNBA’s current travel policies, Ari shares the importance of keeping Brittney Griner (BG), who spent last season wrongfully detained in a Russian prison, safe. Given the high-profile nature of BG’s case, her safety is paramount.
“I love BG, and I have a really personal connection with her. And it’s heartbreaking knowing that she went through all that trauma last year overseas, that she comes home to her, you know, to her team — and has to be subjected to that harassment, violent behavior in that way. And I just worry about her mental when things go like that, because it’s hard for anybody. But given the circumstances, it’s even more elevated and heightened, and I just want her protected. When I first heard about it, my mind didn’t go to the entire league travel — it didn’t, candidly — my mind went to protect Brittney at all costs. And the players agree.”
Ari Chambers
Jackie and Ari further discuss WNBA teams and the Players Association trying to make traveling on commercial airlines a little bit less stressful for players. They also answer the question: what exactly is JSX? What are its benefits and its drawbacks? Jackie and Ari also question, why does it have to be this way?
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