With Brittney Griner now safely back home for the holidays, the conversation has shifted. In an interview with TMZ, ESPN broadcaster Mark Jackson was not asked about her captivity in Russia—but rather why she was there in the first place.
Like many WNBA players, Griner was playing overseas during the offseason because it pays more than her salary in America. Jackson hopes that players in the WNBA can get paid more so they don’t have to play in other countries.
“Hopefully, financially we put these women professional athletes, specifically the WNBA, in position where they don’t have to add additional income to their accounts,” Jackson said.