In a trailer for a new episode of “The Shop: Uninterrupted,” in which James chats about current events with guests in a setting mimicking a barbershop, James addressed the WNBA star’s ongoing detainment in Russia.
The quote comes after comparisons between James and Griner went viral, when Griner’s Phoenix Mercury coach Vanessa Nygaard told reporters that if James were in the same situation, he would be home.
James had not previously addressed the comparison.
Griner was first arrested at a Moscow airport in February, after Russian officials said they found cannabis oil in her luggage. Griner plays basketball in Russia during the WNBA offseason to supplement her income.
“(As) I sit here in a Russian prison, alone with my thoughts and without the protection of my wife, family, friends, Olympic jersey, or any accomplishments, I’m terrified I might be here forever,” she wrote, according to a statement released by the communications company representing the Griner family.
