WNBA Is Reportedly Fearing Potential Brittney Griner Problem

© Provided by The Spun PHOENIX, AZ - OCTOBER 8: Brittney Griner #42 of the Phoenix Mercury looks on during the game against the Las Vegas Aces during Game Five of the 2021 WNBA Semifinals on October 8, 2021 at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2021 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Bottari/NBAE via Getty Images) Jeff Bottari/Getty Images

While NBA teams always fly charter, WNBA franchises almost exclusively travel on commercial flights. 

That is something that league star Breanna Stewart is trying to change, and because of what happened to Brittney Griner, is an issue the WNBA may have to address sooner rather than later.

"The issue of private air travel has come to the forefront of free agent conversations around the WNBA, multiple sources told ESPN, because of the assumption that Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner will need to fly privately due to security concerns," ESPN's Ramona Shelburne tweeted on Sunday.

"If Griner were to fly privately the league would have to address whether her teammates on the Mercury would fly privately with her. That would raise the question of fairness for the other teams in the league, which are currently not allowed to fly privately."

Griner spent several months in a Russian prison after her arrest and conviction on drug charges. She was pardoned back on December 8 and has expressed an interest in returning to the WNBA.

Over the weekend, Stewart tweeted that she would be willing to contribute to subsidizing charter plane travel for the entire league. 

"I would contribute my NIL, posts + production hours to ensure we all travel in a way that prioritizes player health + safety, which ultimately results in a better product," she said. "Who’s with me?"

As of now, the WNBA and its owners have ruled that no team can fly charter unless every team is able to afford to fly charter.