Brittney Griner, full name Brittney Yevette Griner, (born October 18, 1990 in Houston, Texas, USA), is an American basketball player who is best known for her work with the Phoenix Mercury, a team that she helped to win a WNBA championship (2014). Griner became a worldwide sensation in 2022 when she was arrested in Russia for drug possession. She was subsequently found guilty and convicted to nine years in prison, but was later granted release as part of a prisoner exchange.
Early life and college career
She was raised by her parents, Sandra and Raymond Griner, and three older siblings (D, Shkera, and Pier). Her father served two tours in the Vietnam War and was a Harris County cop. Brittney Griner excelled at both volleyball and basketball in high school, though it was the latter sport that drew the most attention. She frequently practised with the boys’ team, and a video of her dunking went viral on YouTube during her junior year.
Griner attended Baylor University on a basketball scholarship after graduating in 2009, and she instantly became renowned for both her defence and her offence. Her controversial punch that broke an opponent’s nose in a 2010 game during her rookie season caused controversy. Griner received a two-game suspension. She led Baylor to an NCAA championship in 2012, capping the team’s dream season (40–0). Griner was named the best collegiate women’s basketball player in both the Naismith and Wooden awards. She was also titled AP Player of the Year. Griner opted to stay at Baylor for the 2012-13 season, despite rumour that she would quit to join the WNBA proposal.
Despite the fact that Baylor was unable to defend its NCAA championship, Griner was awarded the Naismith, Wooden, and AP awards once more. She completed her college career with 3,283 points, ranking her among the all-time leading scorers in NCAA history. Griner, who stands at 6 feet 9 inches (2.06 metres), also established the record for the most blocked shots (748). She graduated from Baylor with a bachelor of science in education in 2019.
Brittney’s Professional Career
Griner was selected first overall by the Phoenix Mercury in the 2013 WNBA Draft. On May 27, 2013, when playing against the Chicago Sky, Griner slammed the ball twice, tying Candace Parker’s WNBA record. Griner established a WNBA record on June 29, 2014, when she stopped 11 shots while scoring 21 points and grabbing 8 rebounds against the Tulsa Shock.
Griner had the finest defensive season in WNBA history despite missing the first seven games of the 2015 season due to her domestic violence case. She set a career high and WNBA record with 4.0 blocks per match, actually breaking Margo Dydek’s 1998 record. Griner played in all 34 games for the third time in her career in 2018. As a result, she was selected to participate in the 2018 WNBA All-Star Game. It will be her fifth appearance in an all-star game. On August 18, 2018, Griner had a season having 33 points, 18 rebounds, and 7 blocks in a 104-95 victory over the Atlanta Dream.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused the 2020 season at IMG Academy to be postponed and reduced to 22 games. For unspecified personal reasons, Griner dropped out of the bubble after 12 games. The Mercury were the fifth seed with a 13-9 record without Griner.
Brittney’s Career in The National Team
Griner represented the US national team in Europe for two weeks in September 2011 while coach Geno Auriemma was in charge. The lone college-experienced player in the group was Griner. She competed for the US women’s basketball team in the 2016 Summer Olympics. She received her first Olympic gold medal after they defeated Spain 101–72 in the championship. There are 11 players, including her, who have won either an Olympic gold medal, a FIBA World Cup gold medal, or both. For her second Olympic appearance in 2021, Griner was selected. Once more, she was unbeaten and contributed to Team USA’s gold-medal victory.
Personal life
Griner came out as a lesbian in 2013; the following year, she signed a sponsorship deal with Nike, making history as the first outspokenly gay athlete. In her 2014 memoir In My Skin: My Life on and off the Basketball Court, co-written with Sue Hovey, Griner discussed the difficulties she had to face as a gay African American woman. She was a frequent speaker on LGBTQ issues. Following an incident at their home in April 2015, Griner and her then-girlfriend, WNBA player Glory Johnson, were detained on allegations of attack and disorderly conduct. They later entered a plea to disorderly conduct, and the WNBA suspended them both for seven games. Before divorcing in 2016, the couple had twins after getting married in May 2015. Griner married teacher Cherelle Watson three years later. After Brittney Griner was imprisoned in Russia, Cherelle Griner fought openly for her release.
Detainment and conviction in Russia
At a Russian airport on February 17, 2022, Griner was stopped as she attempted to enter the country to play for Ekaterinburg. Authorities claimed that she had in her possession vape cartridges that contained cannabis oil, which was illegal in Russia. A week later, when Russia attacked Ukraine, the United States retaliated vehemently. Many thought that Griner’s detention was primarily motivated by politics. While she was being held, her case received a lot of media attention, and calls for her release grew. Griner received a lot of media attention, which some people feared would make her a more valuable hostage.
At the beginning of her trial in July 2022, Griner agreed to plead guilty despite asserting that the cannabis oil had been stuffed accidentally. According to Russian judicial regulations, the trial proceeded, and Griner’s attorneys later asserted that she had a prescription for the drug. In addition, Griner confirmed that after being detained, she was forced to sign documents in Russian that she couldn’t understand. On August 4, 2022, Griner was found guilty of attempting to smuggle illegal substances with the intent to commit a crime and was sentenced to nine years in prison This took place amid rumours that negotiations between the US and Russia were centred on Griner and other prisoners. In October 2022, a Russian court denied her appeal. The choice seemed to eliminate all of her legal options, which raised the possibility of a negotiated release. In swap for Viktor Bout a Russian arms dealer serving a 25-year prison term in the United States, Griner was freed two months later.
