Brittney Griner | Biography, Basketball, Russia, Trial, Sentence, Coming Home, & Facts

Brittney Griner (born October 18, 1990, Houston, Texas, U.S.) is an American basketball player who is one of the game’s leading centers, especially known for her play with the Phoenix Mercury, which she helped win a WNBA championship (2014). In addition, as a member of the U.S. women’s national basketball team, she won three Olympic gold medals. Griner garnered international attention in 2022 when she was detained in Russia on a drug offense. She was found guilty and sentenced to nine years but was later released in a prisoner exchange.

Early life and college

She is the youngest of four children born to Sandra Griner, a stay-at-home mother, and Raymond Griner, a sheriff and Vietnam veteran. Brittney Griner played volleyball and basketball in high school, but it was for the latter sport that she received the most attention. She often practiced with the boys’ team, and during her junior year a video of her dunking was viewed several million times on YouTube.

(Read Britannica’s list of citizens detained by foreign governments.)

After graduating in 2009, Griner attended Baylor University on a basketball scholarship, and she quickly became known for both her defense and her offense. During a 2010 game in her first season, she generated controversy when she punched an opposing player, breaking her nose. Griner was suspended for two games. In 2012 she led Baylor to an NCAA championship, which capped the team’s perfect season (40–0). Griner received both the Naismith Award and the Wooden Award as the outstanding collegiate women’s player. In addition, she was named AP Player of the Year. While there was speculation that Griner would leave Baylor to enter the WNBA draft, she opted to stay for the 2012–13 season. Although Baylor failed to defend its NCAA title, Griner again won the Naismith, Wooden, and AP awards. She finished her collegiate career with 3,283 points, which placed her among the top scorers in NCAA history. Griner, who is 6 feet 9 inches (2.06 meters) tall, also set a record for most blocked shots (748). In 2019 she completed a bachelor of science degree in education at Baylor.

WNBA and international career

In the 2013 WNBA draft, Griner was selected as the number-one overall pick by the Phoenix Mercury. She made her presence felt immediately. In her professional debut in May 2013, she became the first WNBA player to dunk twice in one game. In 2014 she blocked an unprecedented 129 shots and helped the Mercury defeat the Chicago Sky to capture the WNBA title. That season Griner also won the first of two consecutive Defensive Player of the Year awards.

Over the next several seasons, Griner continued to be a dominating force in the league, and in 2017 and 2019 she led the WNBA in points per game. She also was the league leader in blocked shots per game from 2013 to 2019. The 2020 season was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and WNBA players were required to quarantine in a “bubble.” Citing personal reasons, Griner left after 12 games. She returned for the 2021 season, and Phoenix reached the championship finals but lost to the Chicago Sky.

During this time, Griner also played on the U.S. women’s national team, and she helped the squad win a gold medal at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and at the 2020 Games in Tokyo (which were held in 2021 due to the pandemic). In addition, during the WNBA off-season, she played in foreign leagues. The practice was common among WNBA players, many of whom were motivated by financial reasons. In 2015 Griner joined UMMC Ekaterinburg of the Russian Premier League, and the team won the EuroLeague championship the following year. Ekaterinburg also claimed the title in 2018, 2019, and 2021.

After being arrested and charged for drug possession in Russia (see below), Griner missed the 2022 WNBA season. Following her release, she rejoined the Mercury for the 2023 season. However, she struggled with mental health issues and injuries, and at one point she took a three-game leave. Nevertheless, she averaged 17.5 points per game, though the Mercury finished in last place.

In June 2024 it was announced that Griner had been selected for the U.S. national team competing at the 2024 Paris Olympics. There she helped the United States win its eighth consecutive gold medal in women’s basketball.