Brittney Griner and wife Cherelle made a surprise appearance at the 2023 NAACP Image Awards on Feb. 25. The whole crowd erupted into applause and rose to their feet as host Queen Latifah introduced the couple at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, saying, “In the spirit of overcoming adversity, I want to take this moment to recognize someone who has done just that. Back home, back here with us tonight, where she belongs.” After taking the stage hand in hand while smiling from ear to ear, both Brittney and Cherelle addressed the audience and made a plea to fight for American detainees overseas.
“We are truly so thankful to all the people, many of whom are Black women and Black-led organizations, who fought so hard to bring BG home tonight,” Cherelle said. Brittney added, “It feels so good to be here, especially with my beautiful, amazing wife and with all of y’all here today. I wanna thank everyone, and let’s keep fighting to bring home every American still detained overseas.” NBA icon Dwyane Wade, who was vocal about his support of Griner throughout her detainment in Russia, was seen tearing up in the crowd while watching her speak on the stage.
After their speech, the Griners sat side by side to enjoy the rest of the ceremony among attendees that included Zendaya, Viola Davis, Jonathan Majors, and Angela Bassett. They also posed for photos with civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who won the Social Justice Impact Award, and actor Terrence Howard, whose role in “The Best Man: The Final Chapters” earned him a nomination for outstanding actor in a television movie, limited series or dramatic special.
Griner returned back home to the States on Dec. 8 after being held in a Russian prison for almost a year on drug charges. Since her release, the WNBA star has made several public appearances, attending a Martin Luther King Jr. march in January and a golf tournament in Phoenix earlier this month. She also recently signed a one-year contract extension with the Phoenix Mercury.
Read ahead to see all the photos of the Griners taking on the NAACP Image Awards in style.
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