At 205 centimetres tall and with two Olympic gold medals under her belt, Ms Griner or "BG" as she is known to basketball fans is one of the most recognisable figures in American basketball. When he is not writing, he spends time outdoors, lost in the beauty of nature or simply travelling around the world. Griner was named the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player. Chidiebube has been writing and editing articles on movies, entertainment and other juicy things for several years. Roughly half of WNBA players compete overseas in the off-season. Brittney Yevette Griner (/ranr/; born October 18, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Griner was also required to complete 26 weeks of domestic violence counseling. Brittney Griner was born to Sandra Griner (Mother) and Raymond Griner (Father). In early May, however, the State Department said it considered Griner to be "wrongfully" detained, and a lengthy campaign to secure her release began. Griner was sentenced to nine years in Russian prison after hashish oil was found in her bags at a Moscow airport. [2], Along with being selected as the number one high school player in the country by Rivals.com, Griner was featured on the cover of ESPN's Rise magazine,[78] and was selected by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association as the 2009 State Farm/WBCA High School Player of the Year. She was later charged with intentionally importing narcotics into the country and pleaded guilty to drug possession and smuggling on 7 July, the second day of her trial. [52] The Mercury advanced to the second round where they were swept by the Minnesota Lynx who won the championship that year. Her narrative, which she penned alongside Sue Hovey is titled In My Skin: My Life On and Off the Basketball Court. Read Also:- Brittney Griner Parents, Ethnicity, Brittney, father is a marine, hang in there Brittney! In 2018, she became engaged to Cherelle Watson. Heres more about the couple whose child made them celebrity parents. WNBA star Brittney Griner describes how she was bullied as a child and how basketball helped her cope with depression and open up to her mother about her sex. In 2016 and 2019, she renewed her contract with the Dallas Wings, formerly known as the Shock. During the season, Griner had recorded the sixth triple-double in WNBA history in a win against the Atlanta Dream where she had 27 points, 10 rebounds and 10 blocks. [115] Watson later changed her name to Cherelle Griner. Meet Grayson, Skylar, and Gavin Smiley, Meet Georgeta Orlovschi, Sebastian Stans Mom. In February 2022, Griner arrived in Russia to play in the Russian Premier League during the WNBA offseason. Brittney Griner with her wife Cherelle Griner, Russia frees US basketball star in prisoner swap, US-made cheese can be called 'gruyere' - court, AOC under investigation for Met Gala dress, Canadian grandma helps police snag phone scammer, The children left behind in Cuba's exodus. Tamryn Spruill, a sports journalist who is writing a book on the WNBA and Griner's contributions to the league, told the BBC earlier this year that her decision was groundbreaking for the sport. Griner wears a pair of American size 17 mens shoes and has an arm length of 88.. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. [102], On August 14, 2014, Griner got engaged to fellow WNBA player Glory Johnson. [20] She has three older siblings, D, Shkera and Pier. Brittney has over the years had a successful career in basketball but this article will focus much on her father Raymond Griner. Raymond Griner got married to Sandra Griner, and they expanded their family by giving birth to four children, including three girls and a boy named Shkera Griner, Pier Griner, Brittney Griner, and Decarlo Griner. The award is given by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association to the nation's top Division I women's player. Griner came out as gay at the age of 22, at the start of her promising career, becoming one of the most prominent LGBT athletes in the world. Brittney Griner Ethnicity & Nationality Brittney Griner's ethnicity is Afro-American. Well, she holds an American nationality and belongs to a black ethnicity. Despite wishing to be "normal", her unique talent on the basketball court was quickly noticed by coaches at the Nimitz High School in Houston. In her dressing room at Conan O'Brien's late-night show, the 6'8" women's-basketball wunderkind Brittney Griner is flipping through a rolling rack of men's shirts with one of her very large hands . Griner is also the only NCAA basketball player to both score 2,000 points and block 500 shots. [109], On June 4, 2015, Griner and Johnson revealed that Johnson was pregnant with twins,[110] conceived with Johnson's eggs through in vitro fertilization. [15][126] On November 17, Griner's lawyers said that she was transferred to IK-2, a female penal colony in the town of Yavas in the region of Mordovia;[16] previously she was held in an undisclosed location. Coming out in an interview with Sports Illustrated, she told the publication that the decision "wasn't hard at all". Griner scored 17 points in the win. Type above and press Enter to search. Griner later won gold medals with the U.S. women's national basketball team in 2016 and 2021. *WNBA star Brittney Griner appeared at the 54th Annual NAACP Image Awards on Saturday where she called on fans to "keep fighting" for the Americans . He is well-known as the father of Brittney Griner, who is an American Professional Basketball Player for the Phoenix Mercury of the Women's NBA. In the second round elimination game, the Mercury defeated the number 3 seeded New York Liberty, Griner had 22 points 10 rebounds and 4 blocks in the win. Brittney Griner's parents spotted her athletic talent when she was pretty young and. The case comes amid ongoing tensions between Moscow and Washington over Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. [40] Griner was named AP Player of the Year[41] and The 2012 Premier Player of Women's College Basketball. By birth her sun sign is Libra. They would make it as far as the second round where they lost to the Minnesota Lynx in the elimination game. [8], Professionally, Griner was selected as the first overall pick in 2013 WNBA Draft by the Phoenix Mercury, with whom she won the 2014 WNBA championship. Johnson's parents, Mercy Bassey Johnson and . Brittney Griner Wife, Partner Brittney Griner Firstly married with Glory Johnson ( 2015 - 2016 ) but they seperated. Playing for her college team, she has a record of having over 2,000 points and 500 blocks. PHOENIX - Standing 6 feet 8 inches tall with an 88-inch wingspan and wearing men's size 17 shoes, Brittney Griner is 200 pounds of talent. My heart, our hearts, are all skipping beats everyday that goes by," she wrote. She has three older siblings. The basketball star is the youngest of three siblings, with two sisters, Shkera Griner and Pier Griner, and a brother, Decarlo Griner. Griner during a WNBA basketball playoff in Las Vegas last October Pic: AP, Brittney Griner could face 10 years behind bars, Griner, pictured at a hearing in Khimki, outside Moscow. The twists of the WNBA's most talked about marriage took an irreconcilable turn for Brittney Griner. Raymond Griner is a Marine veteran who served in Vietnam from 1968 to 1969, while Brittney Griner's mother, Sandra Griner, is a full-time housewife. Raymond said he has not had a chance to talk to Brittney in-depth about what happened. Raymond Griner is a disciplined military man who encourages discipline, he taught his children basic military skills, and he wanted his children to join the military, but Brittney Griner, his last child, chose sports instead. Raymond Griner is a Military Veteran. Press Esc to cancel. Her trial began on July 1, and she pleaded guilty to the charges. Brittney Griner, in full Brittney Yevette Griner, (born October 18, 1990, Houston, Texas, U.S.), American basketball player who is one of the game's leading centres, especially known for her play with the Phoenix Mercury, which she helped win a WNBA championship (2014). [10][4], Griner led the U.S. national women's basketball team to victory at the Rio Olympics in 2016. On August 25, 2019, Griner scored a season-high 34 points in a 9486 loss to the Chicago Sky. Brittney Yevette Griner is an American professional basketball player with the Womens National Basketball Associations Phoenix Mercury. [5] She played college basketball for the Baylor Lady Bears in Waco, Texas. Brittney Yevette Griner ( / ranr /; born October 18, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). In January 2010, she became only the seventh player to dunk during a women's college basketball game,[32] and only the second woman to dunk twice in a single college game, making the second and third dunks of her college career[33] in a lopsided 9918 victory against Texas State University. Of course, Brittany Griner is a woman. Griner was named an AP Second Team All-American.[38]. In August 2016, Griner re-signed with UMMC Ekaterinburg for the 201617 off-season. Griner was named a WNBA All-Star, but missed the 2013 WNBA All-Star Game with a right knee injury, and was replaced by Tina Thompson. [100] She said later during a media teleconference, "I honestly feel we should not play the national anthem during our season. I think we should take that much of a stand. In this blog, you can all details like Who Is Raymond Griner? Brittney Griner practices Christianity; she is demisexual and is married to Cherelle T Griner. Raymond was a Marine Veteran who served in Vietnam for two tours in 1968 and 1969. He served as a Harris Country Deputy Sheriff in the 1980s. [99] Griner continues to push back on traditional gender roles as she regularly models clothes branded as "menswear" for Nike. Before meeting Griner Glory used to believe she was a straight woman. Stay tuned for more updates on LatestinBollywood. She played college basketball for the Baylor Lady Bears in Waco, Texas. Likewise, her full birth name is Brittney Yevette Griner. Griner's father, Raymond Griner, a Vietnam war veteran wasn't the most welcoming about his daughter's sexual choices, Notably, he told Griner at the time that he wasn't "raising no gay girl". Criticism from the US including the description of Griner being "wrongfully detained" makes it "difficult to engage in detailed discussion of any possible exchanges", he said. [17] On December 8, Griner was released in a prisoner exchange for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. On August 18, 2018, Griner scored a season-high 33 points along with 18 rebounds and 7 blocks in a 10495 victory over the Atlanta Dream. Brittney Griners parents are watching their daughter face up to 10 years in prison if convicted of drug trafficking. The Texas-born athlete is married to Cherelle, who she met in university and describes as her "best friend" and "love of her life". Father of Qatari Manchester United bidder Sheikh Jassim admits he 'doesn't like the investment' and 'isn't even 'a football fan' - but says his son is still 'pushing hard' to get a 4.5bn deal . [125][124], On August 4, the court found Griner guilty and sentenced her to nine years in prison and fined her 1 million rubles (US$16,301), even though the standard sentence for possession of no more than 2 grams of hash oil is 15 days. Initially, US authorities and representatives for Griner were largely silent, other than to say they were working to bring her home. She appeared in "The Taboo Issue". [114] The couple's divorce was finalized in June 2016. "BG's always been one to be a pioneer," Griner's teammate, Diana Taurasi has said. A post shared by BG (@brittneyyevettegriner). [9] Standing 6ft 9in (206cm) tall, Griner wears a men's U.S. size 17 shoe and has an arm span of 87.5in (222cm). Can Nigeria's election result be overturned? Brittney Griner parents: Meet Raymond Griner and Sandra Griner, Wayne Shorter family, wife, children, parents, siblings, Wayne Shorter parents: Meet Joseph Shorter, Louise Shorter, Wayne Shorter siblings: Meet Alan Shorter, Hajia4Real tops Twitter trends following U.S. jail reports, Sulley Muntari, Agyeman Badu, Asamoah Gyan, others visit Christian Atsus family home, VIDEO: Government will be fully involved in providing Christian Atsu a befitting burial Dr. Bawumia, Christian Atsus mortal remains arrive in Ghana via Turkish Airlines, Maybe I created enemies along the line Kofi Amoabeng on UT Banks collapse, Christian Atsu was one of Ghanas finest personnel Akufo-Addo. Brittney Griner's birthday is on October 18, and she was born in 1990, in Houston, Texas, United States. even going so far as to note her father was a . You never know what those people are gonna do over there.". Meteorologist Lena Maria gives us a look at what we can expect as we gear up for the opening weekend of the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo! [22], Griner attended Nimitz High School in Houston. She wrote in her autobiography that she spent much of her time "wishing away so much of what would eventually make me successful at basketball: my size, strength, and tenacity". SUGGESTED: Brittney Griner lands back in US after Russian prisoner swap. I didn't want to break the law.". Facing a 10-year prison sentence in Russia, Brittney Griner began her trial on charges of illegal drug possession at a court near Moscow on July 1, 2021. [3] Casper Van Dien siblings: Who are Casper Van Dien siblings? In 2021 during the regular season, the Mercury were the 4th seed in the Western Conference, going 19-13, with Griner averaging 20.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 32.8 minutes per game in the season, while playing 30 of 36 games. In May 2015, Brittney Griner married WNBA Basketball Player Glory Johnson, but Griner annulled the marriage just a month later. [26] Houston mayor Bill White declared May 7, 2009, Brittney Griner Day. As a freshman, Griner's 223 blocked shots set the all-time single-season record, establishing her as one of the greatest shot blockers in women's basketball history. Brittney is currently at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio where she is receiving medical treatment. Read about our approach to external linking. [45] She thus became the third WNBA player to dunk and first to do so twice in one game. Raymond Griner was born in the late 1950s, he is over 65 years, but his real date of birth and place of birth have not been made public. She was detained at Sheremetyevo International Airport after the Federal Customs Service found she was carrying vaporizer cartridges containing less than a gram of hash oil. (as well as the father of Jenner's two . Her father is a former Harris County sheriff and Marine veteran who served in Vietnam in 1968 and 1969. All Rights Reserved. [36] In the Elite Eight, Baylor defeated Duke 5148, and Griner blocked 9 shots, totaling 35 for the tournament, a new NCAA Women's Tournament record. In the 2013 WNBA draft, the Phoenix Mercury selected Griner as the first overall pick. [28], Griner was named a WBCA All-American and participated in the 2009 WBCA High School All-America Game, leading the team by scoring 20 points and collecting 9 rebounds.[29]. [103][104] On April 22, 2015, they were both arrested on charges of assault and disorderly conduct after police responded to a fight between the two in their suburban home in Phoenix, Arizona. The Phoenix Mercury star alleges in court documents that her pregnant wife, Glory Johnson . "I've always been open about who I am and my sexuality," she said. SONGS: Singer, songwriter makes new song inspired by FOX 26 news report about goats at Target, Man charged in shooting death of Officer Andres Vasquez Lasso ordered held without bond, Mother arrested after 4-year-old found outside alone, 1-year-old found laying in soiled linen, 6-YEAR-OLD SHOT IN HARRIS COUNTY: Suspect in custody after apparent fight between middle school girls after class, Disneyland banned Rebel Wilson over selfie, actress says, Spring man stalked, harassed his ex then killed her new boyfriend, 23-year-old charged with father's murder in League City, Here's how to get tickets, passes for Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo 2023, Full Interview with Rodeo Headliner, Parker McCollum. HOUSTON - With Houstonian Brittney Griner safely out of Russia after being detained there for nearly 10 months, her father is breathing a huge sigh of relief. A senior Russian diplomat said no action could be taken until the trial has concluded. [67] She was named as the MVP of the 2014 WCBA All-Star Game. I believe in God. Type above and press Enter to search. The double Olympic gold winner and US basketball ace, hailed as an American hero, faces up to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to drug possession charges in Russia. Sandra Griner is in her 50s, but her actual date of birth and place of birth are not publicly known. "All my stress has gone down. A month later Griner broke her wrist after jumping off her skateboard when she was going down a ramp. Press Esc to cancel. Well, she grew up along with her four siblings which include her three sisters and a brother. It was like a merry-go-round. Dealing with Vladimir Putin, you dont know what that man is gonna do and with that war going over there too, that was a big sidetrack too. In September 2011, Griner spent two weeks playing under coach Geno Auriemma for the U.S. national team as part of its European training tour. Raymond Griner is a celebrity parent who happens to be the father of convicted American professional basketball player, Brittney Griner. Raymond Griners exact net worth is not known but his net worth might be more than $1 million. When Raymond Griner got married to Sandra Griner, they expanded their family by giving birth to four children: three girls and a boy named Shkera Griner, Pier Griner, Brittney Griner, and Decarlo Griner. She is 32 years old. [39] She blocked more shots than any other Division I women's team that season. Rivals ranked Griner the nations top high school womens basketball player in 2009. She's a seven-time All-Star who led her team, the Phoenix Mercury, to a championship only a year after getting drafted. Although the Mercury were playing without their all-star guard Diana Taurasi (who sat out the season to play overseas), the Mercury still made it to the playoffs. [68] In the 201415 off-season, she played in China for the Beijing Great Wall of the WCBA. She has been dubbed a "political pawn" amid speculation by Russian media that she could be swapped with Russian arms trader, Viktor Bout, nicknamed The Merchant of Death. Raymond said he never doubted for one minute that Brittney would return home at some point. She was drafted by the Phoenix Mercury during the 2013 draft as the first overall pick. Russian state prosecutors had requested 9.5 years in prison for Ms Griner, who said in her closing remarks that bringing the vape cartridges into Russia had been "an . She is the only NCAA basketball player to score 2,000 points and save 500 shots. Raymond Griner is retired law enforcement from Texas. (Brittney Griners Father) Age, Wiki, Wife, Children, Net Worth, Height & More. This is the most important thing and means the most to me because shes my baby.". Brittney's father is Raymond Griner and he's a retired deputy sheriff. Center, Is Detained in Russia", "American double Olympic basketball gold medallist arrested on drugs charges in Moscow", "Former Pentagon official: Russia could use WNBA star Brittney Griner as 'high-profile hostage', "Fears grow Russia could use US basketball star Brittney Griner as 'hostage', "U.S. Government Says Brittney Griner Was 'Wrongfully Detained', "Basketball star Brittney Griner could be brought home in a prisoner swap with a notorious arms dealer dubbed the 'Merchant of Death,' Russian media says", "Brittney Griner's guilty plea doesn't mean what you think it does. Now the US government is under growing pressure to do more to secure her freedom after she was "wrongfully detained". [12][13] Griner was named to the national team for the 2020 Olympics (held in 2021 in Tokyo, Japan), where she won her second gold medal. The star - who is 6ft 9in (2.05 metres) tall - recalled being bullied for her height and tomboyish appearance as a child. Lady Bears coach Kim Mulkey then imposed another one-game suspension in addition to the one-game suspension mandated by NCAA rules. Griner is arguably the greatest female basketball player of all time and is the marquee player for the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) in the US. [107][108] On May 15, 2015, the WNBA suspended Griner and Johnson for seven games each after Griner pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct charges. Under Russian law, Griner's guilty plea was only an admission of guilt, and did not end her trial; the court still had to prove there was sufficient evidence she committed the crime independent of her guilty plea. Brittney Griner is a Texas Native. Griner and her father fought regularly. The Mercury finished with a 1519 record and the number 8 seed and were eliminated 10576 by the Chicago Sky in the first round elimination game. [16] US officials stated that she was "wrongfully detained". Raymond is also a military veteran who served in Vietnam for two years. [54] In 2017, Griner would have the best season of her career thus far. In the 2015 playoffs, Griner set a WNBA playoff record with 11 blocks (along with 18 points and 8 rebounds) in a game 1 victory against the Tulsa Shock, whom she also had 11 blocks against in a regular season game the year before. Griner was named to the McDonalds All-American team in 2009. Brittney Griner returns to basketball court a year after Russia arrest. In the first round elimination game, the Mercury defeated the Dallas Wings 10183. The annual Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo is no fun and games if you don't have a ticket. Brittney Griners parents are Raymond Griner and Sandra Griner. She is one of a handful of players to have won a college championship, W.N.B.A. I just didnt know exactly when. Brittney's father, Raymond Griner, is a retired sheriff, while her mother, Sandra, is a homemaker. Brittney Griner parents Brittney Yevette Griner is an American professional basketball player with the Women's National Basketball Association's Phoenix Mercury. Griner's lawyer said the Russians were "won over" by the American WNBA superstar. His daughter Brittney won two gold medals in the world cup in 2014 and 2018 and was found guilty in a Russian Drug Trial. Terry Flenorys Kids: Who Is His Son and Does He Have a Daughter? Brittney Griner Parents Name is Sandra Griner (Mother) and Raymond Griner (Father). But after seeing Brittney Glory felt different. She completed her high school education from Nimitz School in Huston. Beijing Great Wall finished the season as the runner-up in the playoff. Her father was also a former Harris County sheriff when he was deployed to Vietnam in the 1980s.