Dear Brittney Griner,

Your decision to allegedly carry cannabis oil into a foreign country has deleteriously impacted your life. Every country on this planet has laws, rules and regulations that differ from the United States of America. Russia has never been an ally, only a nemesis of America. Any opportunity an opponent can use to get into your head to win the game they are going to use and do so. By not knowing the Russian playbook, doing your homework, learning their laws and landscape, you are a pawn in a superpower chess match.

You apparently have never seen the movies, Papillon and Midnight Express. Hopefully, you will get a chance to talk in person to Michael Fay and read the story of Otto Warmbier. Other than the aforementioned being men the throughline is that everyone is or was an American citizen on foreign soil. Their individual actions as visitors violated the laws of their host country. Life was lost and daily nightmares occurred because of ignorance and entitlement.

Being an American on American soil and the quest for the American Dream is sought daily. You being able to use your basketball talents to increase your wealth is admirable, but the blissful ignorance of Russian culture and governmental treatment of foreigners especially Americans by you and your handlers is incredibly short-sighted. It’s interesting that you decided to plead guilty and now are completely at the mercy of the Russian legal system.

I hope you remain safe and receive a light sentence.