- Lisa Leslie says that players were told not to make a "big fuss" about Brittney Griner's detainment.
- Leslie reportedly made the comments on the "I am Athlete" podcast in a clip posted Friday.
- It comes as Griner was taken into custody by Russian authorities in February,
During an appearance on the "I Am Athlete" podcast, WNBA legend Lisa Leslie said that she was advised not to make a "big fuss" over Brittany Griner's detainment in Russia.
"What we were told, and again this is all sort of passed along through hearsay, but what we were told was to not make a big fuss about it so that they could not use her as a pawn, so to speak, in this situation, in the war," Leslie said in a snippet released Friday by the podcast, which was created by former NFL wide receiver Brandon Marshall.
"So, to make it like it's not that important or don't make it where we're like, 'Free Brittney' and we start this campaign, and then it becomes something that they can use."
"That's what we were told. And I don't want to say who told us," she continued. "I don't want to say who said that, but it's been kind of spreading through the women's basketball world."
Griner was taken into custody by Russian authorities in mid-February at a Moscow airport, under accusations that vape cartridges containing hashish oil were found in her luggage. The WBNA star was charged with smuggling narcotics, and she faces a decade behind bars.
Earlier this month, Russian state media reported that Griner's only grievance was that the beds in the cell were too small. US State Department spokesperson told CNN that officials said that the basketball player was in "good condition."
Leslie said the situation has impacted the WNBA community.
"It's heartbreaking for all of us. We want to do more. And you think should we all use our social media platform and get behind it or not," she said. "This is the first time we're in a situation and don't know what to do."