Former Denver Nuggets star Will Barton has signed a one-year contract with Russian club CSKA Moscow. The move has been met with some controversy, given Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
Barton, who still was a free agent after not finding a new team in the NBA for the 2023-24 season, signed a reported $5 million deal with CSKA.
The decision to sign with CSKA has drawn criticism from some, who have argued that Barton is legitimizing Russia’s actions in Ukraine. Others have defended Barton, saying that he is simply trying to continue his career and that he is not responsible for the actions of the Russian government.
However, the intense Brittney Griner story, certainly put a spotlight on the risks faced by American athletes who play in Russia.
After Russian customs officials found vape cartridges that contained hashish oil in basketball star Brittney Griner’s luggage in February of 2022, she was detained at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport.
The WNBA star was then sentenced to nine years in prison, while also spending time in a penal colony. This then led to Griner becoming a valuable asset for the Russians. She was eventually exchanged for arms trafficker Viktor Bout, who was imprisoned in the U.S., in a prisoner swap, after 10 long months.
Barton’s decision to sign with CSKA has further raised concerns, and it remains to be seen how his involvement will be perceived in the coming months.
Please stay safe Will
— Ethical Hoops (only takes Ws) (@EthicalHoopz) January 29, 2024
Hopefully he won’t end up like griner
— Yannis Christodoulopoulos (@PROUDLIBERTARI6) January 29, 2024
Careful with your suitcase.
— John Q Public (@JohnQPu33877274) January 29, 2024
US Embassy getting a call from Russia saying they’ve got Will Barton in custody and willing to make a deal pic.twitter.com/rsPjXo0oTx
— SmokinTreesDrainin3s (@SmokinTreesDra1) January 29, 2024
deal with evil till the hell
— Juris Vaidelods Nepareizais (@diviannas) January 29, 2024
Any reasonably high-profile American should think twice before heading to Russia. That is, unless they enjoy the inside of a Russian jail cell while their host country uses them as blackmail bait.
— Pelgridge Spedder (@Pelgridge) January 29, 2024
For god’s sake,stop promoting this f..g russian army club,who the f cares
— Panathinaikos☘️ (@Pana_thinaikos) January 29, 2024
Risky choice
— RR (@Robakoff) January 29, 2024
Good luck, bro….hope you value your safety
— Evan Floyd (@Evan_Floyd03) January 29, 2024
Aside from the Griner situation, the Russian-Ukrainian war has had a significant impact on the sporting world. Several high-profile sporting events have been canceled or moved out of Russia, and many international organizations have suspended their operations in the country.
