Brittney Griner is an American basketball athlete playing for the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA. She is one of the most decorated professional women basketballers, having earned two Olympic gold medals, NCAA Championship, the WNBA championship, and the FIBA World Cup gold medal. Here is everything you need to know about the athlete.
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Brittney Griner is currently detained in Russia after being found with vape cartridges containing hashish oil in February 2022. The US government recently classified her case as wrongful detention. The athlete regularly plays for Russia's UMMC Ekaterinburg during the WNBA off-season.
Brittney Griner's profile summary and bio
- Full name: Brittney Yevette Griner
- Date of birth: 18th October, 1990
- Age: 31 years in 2022
- Birth sign: Libra
- Place of birth: Houston, Texas, United States
- Nationality: American
- Height: 6 feet 9 inches (2.06 m)
- Gender: Neutral (her/she pronouns)
- Sexual orientation: Lesbian
- Marital status: Married
- Wife: Cherelle Griner (from 2019)
- Parents: Sandra and Raymond Griner
- Siblings: Shkera, Decalo, and Pier
- Education: Nimitz High School, Baylor University
- Profession: Basketball athlete
- Current teams: Phoenix Mercury
- Player position: Center, No. 42
- Years active: 2013 to date
- Instagram: @brittneyyevettegriner
- Twitter:@brittneygriner
- Facebook: @BrittneyGriner
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Brittney Griner's age and early life
The basketballer was born on 18th October 1990 in Houston, Texas, and she is 31 years old in 2022. Brittney Griner's parents are Sandra and Raymond Griner, and she is the youngest of four children.
Brittney Griner as a kid used to love cars and the X games and never thought of basketball. She proceeded to become one of the best ever to play the game since high school. The athlete went to Nimitz High School in Houston and later enrolled at Baylor University in Waco, Texas.
Brittney Griner's gender and sexuality
The athlete identifies as both feminine and masculine but uses her/she pronouns. She occasionally models Nike's menswear and has opened up about feeling uncomfortable wearing female clothing. In 2013, she came out as a lesbian and often advocates for LGBTQ rights.
Brittney Griner's wife
The WNBA champion has been in two marriages. Her first marriage was with fellow WNBA athlete Glory Johnson. They were engaged in August 2014 and tied the knot in May 2015. In June 2015, Johnson announced that she was expecting twins, but Griner later filed for the annulment of their marriage. After the birth of Brittney Griner's twins, she was ordered to pay child support to Johnson, and their divorce was finalized in June 2016.
The NCAA champion later started dating Cherelle Watson. The lovebirds were engaged in August 2018, and they tied the knot in June 2019. Brittney Griner's new wife took her last name and now identifies as Cherelle Griner.
Brittney Griner's profession
The athlete started playing basketball while attending the Nimitz High School and later at Baylor University. Rivals.com selected her as the top high school player in the USA and later by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association as the 2009 WBCA High School Player of the Year. While at Baylor, she won the 2013 ESPY Award for best female college athletes, among many other accolades.
During the 2013 WNBA Draft, the Phoenix Mercury selected her as the first overall pick. Brittney Griner's career highlights include her ability to dunk. She currently holds the NCAA record for the highest dunks for a woman basketballer, 18 in total.
The FIBA World Cup gold medalist also plays overseas basketball during the WNBA off-season. She has played for China's Zhejiang Golden Bulls of the WCBA and Russia's UMMC Ekaterinburg. Griner also plays for the USA national team, for which she has won two Olympic Gold medals (2016 and 2020).
Brittney Griner's net worth
The NCAA Champion has an estimated net worth of $5 million in 2022. She earns from playing professional basketball and endorsements.
What is Brittney Griner's WNBA salary?
The multi-WBCA All-American champion makes $227 thousand a year as one of the top WNBA athletes. She also earns from overseas games during the WNBA off-season. In 2014, she was paid $600 thousand to play for China's Zhejiang Golden Bulls on a three-month contract. She has also played in Russia, where her earnings are estimated at $1.5 million.
Brittney Griner's height
The basketball athlete stands at 6 feet 9 inches. She is the third tallest international female player behind the late Margo Dydek (7 feet 2 inches) and Bernadett Hatar (6 feet 10.5 inches). Her shoe size is US 17 for men.
What nationality is Griner?
The multi-WNBA All-Star is American. She was born in Houston, Texas, United States.
Has Brittney Griner been released from Russia?
The athlete is still in custody in Russia. The Russian Federal Customs Service (FCS) detained her in February 2022 on allegations that vaporizer cartridges containing hashish oil had been found inside her luggage. She was going to play for the Russian Premier League during the WNBA offseason.
Several USA officials have expressed their concern saying that Russia may take her as a high-profile hostage and use her as leverage for the Western sanctions imposed against Russia. The US government recently classified her case as wrongful detention.
The athlete's case is now being handled by the office of the US Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs (SPEHA). Negotiations for her release might not be easy because of the severed diplomatic relations between Russia and the USA following the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine.
Brittney Griner can be described as the MJ of Women's NBA. Her incredible, unmatched talent continues to propel her to the top of American and international basketball.
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