Brittney Griner turns 32 years old Tuesday, and she does so while wrongfully detained in Russia.

Oct. 18 marks the 243rd day of her detainment. The WNBA star was arrested in a Moscow airport in February for the alleged possession of hashish oil. She pleaded guilty to the charges, and on Aug. 4 she was sentenced to nine years in prison.

While the U.S. government’s efforts to free Griner and fellow American detainee Paul Whelan are ongoing, the Phoenix Mercury center’s absence looms large – particularly on her birthday.

Griner is scheduled to appear in court next week, on Oct. 25, as a judge will hear her appeal of her sentencing.

“We are not a family without Brittney Griner,” Team USA teammate Breanna Stewart wrote in a tweet that was echoed by Baylor coach Nicki Collen. “It’s time to BRING HER HOME.”

We are not a family without #BrittneyGriner. It’s time to BRING HER HOME. #WeAreBG.

Today marks eight months of her Wrongful Detention. She needs her family now more than ever.

BG - we have not forgotten you, and we will not rest until you’re home. pic.twitter.com/gVJAXByU34

— Breanna Stewart (@breannastewart) October 17, 2022

Tennis legend and women’s sports advocate Billie Jean King called on everyone to “continue to advocate for her release and bring her home.”

Today, Brittney Griner turns 32.

She will spend her birthday in a Russian prison, where she has been unlawfully detained for 8 months.

Let’s continue to advocate for her release and bring her home.#WeAreBG

— Billie Jean King (@BillieJeanKing) October 18, 2022

“How do you say Happy Birthday to someone who has been wrongfully detained for 243 days?” the WNBA Players Association asked in a tweet. The tweet included a video message from WNBA stars, including Stewart, Jewell Loyd, Jasmine Thomas and Allie Quigley, as well as South Carolina coach Dawn Staley and ESPN reporter Holly Rowe.

How do you say Happy Birthday to someone who has been wrongfully detained for 243 days?#WeAreBG#BringBGHome pic.twitter.com/KcXhqu5R3B

— WNBPA (@TheWNBPA) October 18, 2022

Staley and others shared stories of Griner with ESPN.

“I think of her every day,” said New York Liberty coach Sandy Brondello, who coached Griner on the Mercury from 2014 to 2021. “Not just the great player she developed into. She has this amazing laugh, which I can’t wait to hear again.”

Staley, who coached Griner at the 2018 FIBA World Cup and the 2020 Summer Olympics as the USA Basketball coach, recalled one anecdote in particular. Griner was in a funk, Staley said, which the coach called out during the game. Griner later apologized to Staley for her reactions and thanked her for helping her out of it.

“Once she lets you in, you get the best of Brittney,” Staley said. “We were in Japan for the Olympics, and something ticked her off in practice. I went up to her and said, ‘You know, I actually like when you get mad and you get super focused and just execute what needs to get done.

“It takes a genuine person to just realize how they were acting and responding. I didn’t really think anything of it, but I appreciated that she processed it, and then she came back and took the responsibility. We laughed about it, because things happen and then you just keep it moving.

“BG is the ultimate professional, and she does her job. But she’s able to stop, evaluate something and then say, ‘Hey, I’m sorry.’ Sometimes, we don’t get that response enough in our sport and in our world.”

Staley has been vocal about calling for Griner’s release, tweeting out about her detainment nearly every day.

Mercury teammate Brianna Turner called Griner “humble” and “welcoming.”

“It’s wild to think that I last saw her in person a year ago; her birthday is obviously so different this time around,” she said. “I was able to send her a letter, though, and hopefully she will receive it on birthday.

“So many people that don’t personally know BG have so many various opinions about her. But I can honestly say BG is probably the warmest person I know. Her energy is infectious, and she is the first person willing to help someone in need.”

Nike is sending Team USA to Italy in style, with the sportswear giant's ACG (All Conditions Gear) brand releasing the designs for a special 2026 Winter Olympics collection this week.

Branded with Nike ACG badges alongside Team USA patches, this year's collection builds off a traditional red, white, and navy color scheme to outfit the country's Olympic and Paralympic athletes, as well as fans, ahead of the 2026 Games' February 6th opening ceremony in Milan.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Just Women’s Sports (@justwomenssports)

The designs include a long-sleeved T-shirt displaying an animated, winter sports-bound bald eagle and a zipped fleece sherpa and Therma-Fit skirt, both emblazoned with a bald eagle soaring over mountains.

Additionally, the collection boasts multiple T-shirts, long-sleeved sweat-wicking shirts, Polartec® jackets, and accessories including a baseball cap and winter beanie.

Nike is just one of many major brands outfitting Team USA for this year's competition, with the athletic corporation joining J.Crew in inviting fans to gear up for the Games after the fashion retailer dropped its own Winter Olympics capsule collection earlier this month.

How to purchase items from the Nike ACG x Team USA collection

The Nike ACG x Team USA line will hit shelves on Friday, January 23rd, with fans able to snag pieces prior to the 2026 Winter Olympics.

The collection will be available for purchase via nike.com.

Stars of the 2025 Euro stole the EA FC 26 spotlight this week, as the video game giant's fan-voted 2026 Team of the Year recognized some of international soccer's top achievers on Thursday.

Champions England fielded four honorees as forward Alessia Russo joined a trio of Lioness defenders — Leah Williamson, Millie Bright, and Team of the Year captain Lucy Bronze — on the 11-player list.

"Being named the first-ever Women's EA Sports FC TOTY Captain is an honour," Bronze said in a statement. "2025 was an amazing year — winning the Euros again and picking up my first BWSL with Chelsea — so much of that success is thanks to our fans, and it's great to see them recognize my efforts with this award."

The rest of the EA FC 26 Team of the Year also favored European titans, as Euro runners-up and Nations League winners Spain also saw a quartet of players make the roster. La Roja fully owned the Team of Year midfield as stars Aitana Bonmatí, Mariona Caldentey, and Alexia Putellas joined forward Clàudia Pina on Thursday's lineup.

Rounding out the squad were three other European club standouts as EA FC 26 also tapped Chliean goalkeeper Christiane Endler (OL Lyonnes), French defender Selma Bacha (OL Lyonnes), and Polish forward Ewa Pajor (FC Barcelona).

The first Grand Slam of 2026 has arrived, as the main draw of the Australian Open hits the court on Saturday evening, promising some early-round fireworks.

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka enters as the tournament favorite, though the rest of the WTA Top 10 promises to give her a run for her money — as No. 2 Iga Świątek chases the only major tournament title still eluding her.

Meanwhile, No. 9 Madison Keys will attempt to defend her 2025 crown, as fellow US products No. 3 Coco Gauff, No. 4 Amanda Anisimova, and No. 6 Jessica Pegula also locked down top seeds.

Another US superstar will return this weekend, with 45-year-old Venus Williams following up her impressive 2025 performances by accepting a wild-card entry to her first Australian Open in five years.

"Even though I've been on tour for a long time, this is also still my first experience as [reigning champion]," Keys said. "I'm really just trying to soak in all of the really cool fun parts."

How to watch the 2026 Australian Open

The 2026 Australian Open begins at 7 PM ET on Saturday, with Williams as well as top-seed Sabalenka and world No. 7 Jasmine Paolini set to face their first opponents on the first day of the Slam's main draw.

The second day of first-round matches will see the rest of the WTA elite in action, as No. 2 Świątek, No. 3 Gauff, No. 4 Anisimova, No. 6 Pegula, and No. 9 Keys — as well as No. 5 Elena Rybakina, No. 8 Mirra Andreeva, and No. 10 Belinda Bencic — will hit the hardcourt in Melbourne starting at 7 PM ET on Sunday.

All matches in the 2026 Australian Open — from the first round through the women's final on Saturday, January 31st — will air live across ESPN platforms.

Monday's NCAA basketball action will put two of the nation's top guards to the test, as No. 10 TCU faces No. 14 Ohio State in Newark, New Jersey's Coretta Scott King Classic — part of a stacked MLK Day slate.

Buckeye sophomore Jaloni Cambridge is on a tear in this season, averaging 21.8 points per game — good for No. 10 in the country — and tallying 102 points, 20 rebounds, and 20 assists across Ohio State's last three games.

At the same time, TCU has seen similar stylings from Notre Dame transfer Olivia Miles, with the senior putting up a career-high 19.2 points per game while sitting at No. 9 in the nation behind her 7.3 assists average for the Horned Frogs.

Even more, Miles is lapping her collegiate cohort in triple doubles on the season, posting four of the elite stat-sheet performances while all other NCAA players have a maximum of one.

Both teams are meeting expectations head-on this season, impressing following 2025 NCAA tournament exits that spurred significant offseason roster changes.

Ohio State star forward Cotie McMahon transferred to Ole Miss after the Buckeyes' second-round ousting, while TCU graduated standout starting guard Hailey Van Lith and center Sedona Prince.

With Miles and Cambridge leading the charge, however, both squads are flourishing: TCU faltered just once in their 2025/26 campaign so far — a January 3rd overtime loss to unranked Utah — while Ohio State's two season losses came at the hands of titans No. 1 UConn and No. 3 UCLA.

"Ultimately, [TCU forward] Marta [Suarez] and Miles are two of the best players in college basketball," Horned Frogs head coach Mark Campbell said after Sunday's win over Arizona State. "But for our team to reach our full potential, we need these other players to show great growth. And I think we have."

How to watch TCU vs. Ohio State basketball on Monday

The No. 10 Horned Frogs will take on the No. 14 Buckeyes at 12 PM ET on Monday, airing live on FOX.