What's happening: WNBA employee Brittney Griner and her team, the Phoenix Mercury, have achieved sole possession of last place in the male-subsidized women's basketball league.
• The Mercury lost by 29 points to the Los Angeles Sparks on Wednesday in front of 3,469 fans, or 18 percent of the capacity at Crypto.com Arena. That brings their record to 9-24 on the season.
• Griner, who recently returned to the team after missing three games earlier this month to "focus on her mental health," did not play due to "health and safety protocols."
Crucial context: Griner is an outspoken "anti-racist" activist and a convicted drug smuggler. In 2022, the Biden administration secured her release from a Russian labor camp in exchange for Viktor Bout, a notorious arms dealers known as the "Merchant of Death."
• The former convict was recently granted permission to travel by private jet to and from WNBA games for "safety" reasons while the rest of her team flies commercial.
Why it matters: It doesn't. No one cares about the WNBA. Thanks for reading.