ADRIAN FLORIDO, HOST:
A new WNBA season gets underway today without one of the league's biggest stars. Brittney Griner, center for the Phoenix Mercury, remains in Russian custody on an allegation of drug smuggling. For years, Griner has played in Russia to make more money. That's something many WNBA players go overseas to do. The league will honor Griner in her absence, but it's also pushing back on the notion that it's not doing enough to fairly compensate athletes. NPR's Tom Goldman reports.
TOM GOLDMAN, BYLINE: It was one headline but could have been many since Brittney Griner was wrongfully detained in February. It read "How Low WNBA Salaries Led To An American Basketball Superstar's Detainment In Russia," and it rankled the WNBA.
