"That's a Russian, isn't it?" - Ben Shapiro takes dig at Brittney Griner's controversial trade for infamous arms dealer

It's been almost a full three years since 10-time WNBA All-Star Brittney Griner returned home to the U.S. after being sentenced to nine years in a Russian penal colony. Despite that, right-wing personality Ben Shapiro took an unprovoked shot at the 2014 WNBA champ during "The Ben Shapiro Show" on Tuesday.

The segment challenged Shapiro to determine whether the person shown was a WNBA player or a TikTok star.

When Brittney Griner's image appeared on screen, Shapiro made a remark on the WNBA veteran, who contributed to the Atlanta Dream (20-11) having the third-best record in the W this season, being part of the prisoner exchange between the US and Russia for notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout, known as "The Merchant of Death."

"That's a Russian, isn't it? She's an American," Shapiro said. "I thought after she was left in Russia for long enough, then they would take her, but no. We traded an arms dealer to get this one out."

Atlanta Dream coach Karl Smesko praises Brittney Griner following recent win

While Brittney Griner has impressed during the games she's played this season, the eight-time WNBA blocks leader missed the last three games with a neck injury.

On Sunday, however, she returned to action for a showdown with the Mercury in Phoenix, where she spent the first 11 seasons of her WNBA career.

Before the game, Griner was honored with a tribute video, and, as she said after the fact, there was a moment during the game when she got choked up, reflecting on the years she spent in Phoenix.

Throughout 13 minutes, Griner logged two points, two rebounds, an assist and a block in a 74-66 win, its fifth victory in a row going back to late July.

Atlanta Dream coach Karl Smesko shouted out Griner during his postgame press conference:

“I thought BG was great. She was moving great. She looked really good out there. Defensively, she was excellent. She was controlling the paint. I thought really good first game back for her.”

Brittney Griner and the Dream will next face the Seattle Storm on Wednesday, looking to overtake defending champions New York Liberty in the standings.

About the author

Evan Bell is a journalist specializing in the NBA and NHL at Sportskeeda, whose love for the game stems from a childhood spent watching the Chicago Bulls. He has been there through their highs and lows, from the Jordan era to the exciting Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah years.

Evan finds the 82-game season and the intensity of playoff basketball exhilarating, and he also revels in the offseason drama. Phil Jackson stands out as his favorite coach, whom he admires for his composed leadership and success in managing dynamic personalities like Dennis Rodman.

To deliver top-quality content, Evan fact-checks information while diligently keeping up with the action year-round.

When he's not writing, Evan follows tennis and Greek football, and also plays basketball and tennis.

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Edited by William Paul