Brittney Yevette Griner is an American women’s basketball player. She is famous for her extraordinary defensive and shot-blocking skills. She is WNBA’s one of the best players currently in the headlines because of her detention in Russia. She was arrested at the airport because she was found with hashish oil in her luggage.
Brittney was detained on a drug case, and because of the drug smuggling case, her freedom seems difficult. Thankfully, she has been released in 2024, and has since returned to play for Phoenix Mercury.
Table of Contents
Early Life
Brittney Griner’s full name is Brittney Yevette Griner. Her birthdate is October 18, 1990, making her 33 at the time of this article’s writing. Her birthplace and hometown are Houston, Texas, US. Brittney was born into a caring and loving family with her three siblings. Her early life is full of sweet memories.
Brittney has been athletic since childhood and deeply loved basketball. Her passion fueled her desire to be a professional basketball player. She used to play with boys in her early life. She joined the basketball team in high school, trained under their coach, and created records.
Because of her skills, she was declared the number one high school player by Rivals.com. Brittney continued the journey to university. She blocked 223 shots in her first year and set a record. She also earned the title “WBCA All-American” in 2012. Because of her skills, she has led her team to numerous victories many times.
Education
Brittney Griner gained her primary education from a local school in her hometown. Then, she attended Chester W. Nimitz Senior High School. After completing high school, she got admission to Baylor University.
Career
In 2013, Brittney started her professional career when Phoenix Mercury drafted her in WNBA Draft. She left everyone mesmerized and shocked with her unmatched skills and extraordinary talent in her first year. In her debut year, Brittney had an average of three blocks per game.
Brittney, with her hard work, improved her performance rate in 2014. Her statistics showed an average of 3.7 blocks, 15.6 points, and eight rebounds per game. In June, she created a new record in WNBA’s history with 11 blocks in a single game. This performance has made people compare her to some of the male defensive superstars like Dikembe Mutombo.
She also played a significant role in her team winning the 29 matches, breaking the record for most regular-season WNBA wins; the team won against Chicago Sky in the finals, ultimately winning the championship. She also participated in the FIBA Women’s Basketball World cup and earned a gold medal.
Brittney continued her exceptional performance in 2015. In this season, her average was four blocks per game. The Phoenix Mercury repeatedly made it to the playoffs, with the aid of Brittney, where the super player created a new WNBA playoff record of 11 blocks. But they couldn’t win a championship, as Minnesota Lynx defeated them.
In 2016, the Phoenix Mercury again made it to the playoffs and this time reached the semifinals, but once again, they were defeated by the Minnesota Lynx. In the same year, Brittney played as a U.S women’s basketball team member at the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. She won a gold medal along with the team, beating Spain in the finals.
2017 was one of the best seasons of Brittney’s career. In June, she had a career-high of 38 points in the match against Indiana Fever, which they won. At the end of the season, she led the statical board with 21.9 points per game but couldn’t make it to the finals, as Los Angeles Sparks defeated her team in the semifinals.
2018 and 2019 were also great seasons, as she again led the chart with the most points and led the team to playoffs. In 2018, she again participated in the FIBA Women’s Basketball World cup and earned a gold medal second time for the country.
In 2019, she had to leave after half-season because of a knee injury. The 2020Â season was short, comprising only 22 matches. Brittney played in only 12 games before quitting midway for hidden personal reasons.
In 2020, as a U.S Basketball team member, Brittney re-participated in the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, where they won another gold medal.
During WNBA’s off-season, Brittney played abroad. From 2013 to 2014, she played in China for Zhejiang Golden Bulls in the WCBA league. Brittney signed a contract worth $600,000. The agreement was for four months, and the amount it offered was 12 times more than the money she made with Phoenix Mercury.
For the following 2014-15 and 2015-16 off-seasons, Brittney played in Russia for UMMC Ekaterinburg and won consecutive championships. Â
Biography
| Name | Brittney Griner |
| Full Name | Brittney Yevette Griner |
| Age | 33 Years |
| Birthdate | October 18, 1990 |
| Birthplace | Houston, Texas, US |
| Height | 6’9″, 206 cm |
| Weight | 93 kg (205 lbs) |
| Shoe Size | 17 |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
| Hair Color | Brown |
| Ethnicity | Afro-American |
| Education | Baylor University |
| Mother | Sandra Griner |
| Father | Raymond Griner |
| Siblings | 3 |
| Brother | Decarlo Griner |
| Sisters | Shkera Griner, Pier Griner |
| Sexual Orientation | Lesbian |
| Wife | Cherelle Griner |
| Ex-Wife | Glory Johnson |
| Kids | Ava Simone and Solei Diem |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Net Worth | $17 Million |
| H-Town 🤟🏾 |
Honors & Achievements
- She was declared the number one high school player of the year by Rivals.com.
- She was featured in ESPN’s Rise magazine.
- In 2012, she named the Honda Sports Award, Wade Trophy, and Ann Meyers Drysdale Award for herself.
- She won the 2013 ESPY award for best female college athlete and Ann Meyers Drysdale Award.
- She holds NCAA records for the most number of dunks recorded in the league’s history.
- She was also given the title of one of ESPNW’s Impact 25 in 2014.
- Seven-time WNBA All-Time star.
Brittney Griner Net Worth & Income
| Net Worth | $17 Million |
| Annual Income | $1 Million |
| Monthly Income | $85,000 |
| Profession | Professional Basketball Player |
| Age | 33 Years |
| Nationality | American |
| Zodiac Sign | Libra |
Brittney Griner net worth in 2024 is approximately $17 Million. Her basketball career is her primary source of income. She earns tremendously through playing in matches and makes significantly by winning games or championships.
Her most recently signed contract with Phoenix Mercury is set to earn her 165k$ over the course of 2024/2024 season. Her other sources of making money are brand endorsements and sponsorships.
Brittney Griner was living a luxurious lifestyle before her imprisonment. She owns a house in Houston, Texas, 4,000 ft which costs approximately $4 million as of 2024.
Brittney is also fond of cars. In her costly car collection, she held a Mercedes Benz G- Glass and a Volvo XC60.
Brittney Griner’s Family
Brittney Griner’s mother is Sandra Griner, while her father is Raymond Griner. She shares a bitter-sweet relationship with them. Although they were there for her while growing up, when Brittney opened up about her sexual orientation, her father didn’t take it well and forced her out of the house.
Brittney Griner’s brother is Decarlo Griner, while her sisters are Shkera Griner and Pier Griner. She shares a dynamic bond with them and loves them too much.
Brittney Griner’s Wife, Ex-Wife & Kids
Brittney Griner’s wife is Cherelle Griner. They got engaged in 2018 and married each other in June 2019. The duo shares a strong bond. Cherelle has strongly raised her voice against Brittney’s detention in Russia because of an alleged drug smuggling case and has done much to bring her home.
Brittney Griner disclosed her sexual orientation as a lesbian publicly in February 2013. After months of revealing her sexuality on media, on August 14, 2014, she got engaged to Glory Johnson, a fellow basketball player.
On May 8, 2015, the couple tied knots after months of dating. But their married life was short-lived as Brittney requested for divorce just after 28 days of being married. The reason came out that Glory cheated on her with a man.
On the same day, Glory announced her pregnancy through in-vitro fertilization. She gave birth to two premature babies. Court-ordered Brittney to provide child support to Glory. Both partners were also arrested for domestic violence a month before their wedding. After being indicted as guilty, they faced suspension for some matches.
Brittney is a proud mother of twins named Ava Simone and Solei Diem from ex-wife Glory Johnson.
Brittney Griner Detention
On March 5, 2024, Brittney was arrested at Sheremetyevo International Airport after being checked at the security checkpoint. She was carrying vape cartridges that contain cannabis oil (hash oil).
After that, a drug-smuggling criminal case has been opened against her and she is now in the custody of Russian police. And some law experts are speculating that her imprisonment could be 10 years. Luckily for Brittney, however, she has been released in 2024, only 10 months into her sentence.
FAQs
How much is Brittney Griner worth?
As of 2024, Brittney Griner’s net worth is $17 Million.
How much does Brittney Griner make?
Brittney Griner makes around $1 Million a year.
How old is Brittney Griner?
Brittney Griner’s age is 33, as her birthdate is October 18, 1990.
How tall is Brittney Griner?
Brittney Griner’s height is 6 ft 9 in, 2.06 m, or 206 cm.
