Brittney Griner had a touching interaction with a fan amid the alleged harassment she went through with her teammates at a Dallas airport.
Footage obtained by TMZ shows a warm encounter where an eager fan wanted to get a picture with the WNBA star. Griner took two photos with the fan with her security standing close by, who were also receptive to the interaction.
The moment comes weeks after Griner and her teammates were approached by a vlogger from the conservative outlet Blaze Media at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport in Texas, who hurled negative comments at them. The YouTuber, Alex Stein, repeatedly asked Griner if she had sex with Vladimir Putin to secure her release and asked if she "hated America." According to the video's description, "Alex proves he's a world class journalist and not just a provocateur" by asking Griner about "important issues."
Following the incident at the airport, the WNBA reportedly approved charter flights for Griner for the rest of the season. Before the troubling encounter in Dallas, Griner had only been approved for two charter flights by the league.
The WNBA also issued a statement that promoted the safety of its employees while traveling and called Stein's actions “inappropriate” and “unfortunate.”
“As we gather additional information about today's incident at the Dallas airport, it has come to our attention that this was orchestrated by a social media figure and provocateur,” the WNBA wrote. “His actions were inappropriate and unfortunate. The safety of Brittney Griner and all WNBA players is our top priority.
“Prior to the season, the WNBA worked together with the Phoenix Mercury and BG's team to ensure her safety during her travel, which included charter flights for WNBA games and assigned security personnel with her at all times. We remain steadfastly committed to the highest standards of security for players."
Griner made headlines in 2022 after she was imprisoned in Russia for bringing in vape cartridges that contained trace amounts of hash oil. After nearly a year of negotiations, the WNBA star was released as part of a prisoner swap with arms dealer Viktor Bout. She has since been back on the court after re-signing with Phoenix Mercury.
