However, Glory doesn't like to identify herself as a lesbian till now. Brittney Griner was born on October 18, 1990, and her current age is 31 years old. She wrote: "As I sit here in a Russian prison, alone with my thoughts and without the protection of my wife, family, friends, Olympic jersey, or any accomplishments, I'm terrified I might be here forever. "BG's always been one to be a pioneer," Griner's teammate, Diana Taurasi has said. [92], In an interview with SI.com on February 11, 2013, Griner publicly came out as a lesbian. If you're planning on using the METRO to helo you get to and from the Houston Rodeo, here's everything you need to plan out your ride! "She was just like 'screw that, this is who I am.'". [115] Watson later changed her name to Cherelle Griner. [34][35], Baylor entered the NCAA Tournament as a 4th seed, and knocked off top-seeded Tennessee in the Sweet 16. But it was too late for Griner, who is believed to have entered Russia one week earlier, on 17 February, though the timing remains unclear. Initially, US authorities and representatives for Griner were largely silent, other than to say they were working to bring her home. Brittney Griners parents are watching their daughter face up to 10 years in prison if convicted of drug trafficking. [39] She blocked more shots than any other Division I women's team that season. [102], On August 14, 2014, Griner got engaged to fellow WNBA player Glory Johnson. In 2019, she married her partner Cherelle Watson after a heavily publicised divorce from her ex-wife and fellow WNBA player Glory Johnson. 1 WNBA draft pick was a hard one. Two of the staples of Brittney's vocabulary are "sir" and "ma'am." A strong selling. After 12 games played, Griner left the bubble for undisclosed personal reasons. He is of white ethnicity. [3], In 2009, Griner was named the nation's No. This is the most important thing and means the most to me because shes my baby.". The Mercury advanced to the semifinals (the last round before the WNBA finals) against the championship defending Minnesota Lynx in a best-of-5 series but would get swept 30. 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. The award is given by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association to the nation's top Division I women's player. [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. Raymond Griner is a Married Men. Brittney Griner attended Nimitz High School in Houston and also Baylor University. She was recently detained in Russia over illegal drugs. Brittney Griner returns to basketball court a year after Russia arrest. In Arizona, she had been prescribed medicinal cannabis, which is illegal in Russia. Griner's detention had been authorised until 20 December, sparking concerns the trial could last months. He is 65 years old. If it wasnt for them this never would have got done." Brittney Griner, of the US's most successful women's basketball players, is stuck in Russia for possession of medical marijuana. In 2012, Brittney Griners parents watched their daughter as she received the ESPY Award for Best Female Athlete. His exact date of birth and place are not known. According to Glory Johnson, Brittney Griner legally agreed to be the f ather of her twin daughters after they were married. 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. He also served as a Harris County deputy sheriff in the 1980s when he was deported to Vietnam. Brittney Griner's Parents: Raymond Griner (Father), Sandra Griner (Mother) Siblings: Shkera Griner, Pier Grinder, and Decarlo Griner; Brittney Griner's Height in Inches: 6 feet 9 inches; [15] In November 2022, Griner was transferred to the Russian penal colony IK-2. Johnson joined the Atlanta Dream in 2020 as a free agent. Raymond was a Marine Veteran who served in Vietnam for two tours in 1968 and 1969. She had been playing basketball with the Russian Premier League during the WNBA off-season. Her father was also a former Harris County sheriff when he was deployed to Vietnam in the 1980s. She completed her high school education from Nimitz School in Huston. The former Pentagon official Evelyn Farkas expressed concern that Griner could be used as a "high-profile hostage" by Russia. [85] She passed Candace Parker as the all-time NCAA women's dunks leader. [86], In 2014, Griner was included as part of The Advocate's annual "40 under 40" list. Beijing Great Wall finished the season as the runner-up in the playoff. One day after Glory Johnson announced her pregnancy, wife Brittney Griner has moved to annul their 28-day marriage, PEOPLE has confirmed. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Brittney Griner's Wife Cherelle Speaks Out on WNBA Star's 9-Year Sentence: 'It Terrifies Me' Brittney Griner's 32nd Birthday in Russian Prison Was a 'Difficult Day,' Her Lawyers Say Brittney Griner practices Christianity; she is demisexual and is married to Cherelle T Griner. [47], In April 2013, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said he would consider drafting Griner to the NBA, and Griner expressed interest in the opportunity, but no offer to try out was extended by the team. 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. Presently they reside in Houston, Texas, United States. Griner's counterparts in the men's league make more than 200 times the maximum WNBA salary. [81], She was the 2012 recipient of the Wade Trophy, presented to the best female NCAA Division I basketball player who embodies the "Spirit of Margaret Wade. 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! Texas State Representatives Jolanda Jones and Briscoe Cain along with other guests share their views on the prisoner exchange. [100] She said later during a media teleconference, "I honestly feel we should not play the national anthem during our season. [107][108] On May 15, 2015, the WNBA suspended Griner and Johnson for seven games each after Griner pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct charges. Heres more about the couple whose child made them celebrity parents. The 31-year-old basketball player is the daughter of Sandra Griner (mother) and Raymond Griner (father). I believe in God. Brittney Griner 's father Raymond Grier is a disciplined person and has served as a deputy sheriff in the Marine Corps for two tours in Vietnam. She grew up in a strict household and later wrote. Griner attended Baylor University in Waco, Texas, where she majored in basketball. His weight is around 74 kg. The only international female players surpassing Griner's height have been the late Margo Dydek, at 7feet 2inches (2.18m), Bernadett Hatr, at 6feet 10.5inches (2.096m), and Han Xu, at 6feet 10inches (2.08m). En route to the playoffs, Griner averaged 14.5 points per game, 6.5 rebounds per game and 3.1 blocks per game as the Mercury finished 1618. Terry Flenorys Kids: Who Is His Son and Does He Have a Daughter? Who is Brittney Griner? However, her father's name is unclear. But there was no intent. Now the US government is under growing pressure to do more to secure her freedom after she was "wrongfully detained". Griner was arrested in February for possession of cannabis oil By Barbara Plett Usher BBC State Department correspondent Russia's detention of the basketball star and Olympic champion Brittney. She is 32 years old. 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". [68] In the 201415 off-season, she played in China for the Beijing Great Wall of the WCBA. [94][95], In a 2019 interview with People, Griner stated, "People tell me I'm going to break the barrier and trailblaze. Brittney's father is Raymond Griner and he's a retired deputy sheriff. Who is Kitty Toombs? Brittney Griner played her played college basketball for the Baylor Lady Bears in Waco, Texas, and is in the record books as the only player to both score 2,000 points and block 500 shots. Kon Hai Alakh Pandey aka Physics Wallah Wife Shivani Dubey? Still, the process of returning US citizens includes a court decision and a formal pardon from current Russian President Vladimir Putin. "More important that when I spent 68 and 69 in Vietnam in the jungle for two years. Brittney Griner is a popular American professional basketball player, Brittney Griner plays for the Phoenix Mercury of the Women's National Basketball [93] She also revealed in the interview that she was bullied as a child, explaining, "It's hard. "Im pretty religious. Griner attended Baylor University in Waco, Texas, where she majored in basketball. The Mercury finished with an 1816 record as the number 5 seed. 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 . Griner played college basketball at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. They have together four children named Three daughters Shkera Griner, Pier Griner, and Brittney Griner, and One son named Decarlo Griner. http://glaad.org/mediaawards - 24th Annual GLAAD Media Awards on May 11, 2013 in San Francisco. [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. 2023 Ghanafuo.com & DM Network. Johnson's parents, Mercy Bassey Johnson and . "[96] In 2013, Griner was featured on the cover of ESPN Magazine. Brittney Griner Ethnicity & Nationality Brittney Griner's ethnicity is Afro-American. [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). In 2018, she became engaged to Cherelle Watson. Griner was named to the McDonalds All-American team in 2009. In fact, Brittney 's own father - Ray, was a Vietnam War veteran - initially did not show a lot of support for her after she came out as gay. All Rights Reserved. In the 2016 season, with the return of Diana Taurasi, the Mercury had a more successful playoff run. By birth her sun sign is Libra. A senior Russian diplomat said no action could be taken until the trial has concluded. [6][7] She had a breakout senior year in 2012, as the three-time All-American was named the AP Player of the Year, the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four, led Baylor in winning the National Championship, and won the Best Female Athlete ESPY Award. Based on our research, we rate ALTERED an image purportedly showing a CNN report that Russia ordered a DNA test to determine whether Griner should go to a male or female prison. Griner 's mother has always been encouraging, but. On June 4, 2015, Griner announced that Johnson was pregnant with twins. Brittney Griner sentenced. [5] She played college basketball for the Baylor Lady Bears in Waco, Texas. Thank goodness he can do the later with any internet-enabled device, : Decarlo Griner, Shkera Griner, Brittney Griner, and Pier Griner, : Decarlo Griner, Shkera Griner, Pier Griner, and Brittney Griner, Meet Myles Jonathan Brando, Marlon Brandos Son. All About Roddy Pipers Wife, Meet Sean Kyle Swayze, Patrick Swayzes Brother, Inside Peyton Mannings Family With Wife, Ashley Thompson, and 2 Kids, Dr. Karamo Chilombo is Jhen Aikos Doting Father Get To Know Him. The Truth About Selena Gomez and Chris Evans Dating Rumors. Trained by the Soviet military as a linguist, Bout began acquiring Soviet military transport planes and loaded them up with weapons. "There are no words to express this pain. Her father was a veteran of the Vietnam War, where he served two tours of duty as a US Marine, and he later became a police officer in Houston. The case comes amid ongoing tensions between Moscow and Washington over Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. [115], On February 17, 2022, Griner was arrested on drug smuggling charges in Russia. 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. She is not a transsexual simply because she has a different . She is a basketball player who currently plays with the Phoenix Mercury team. [114] The couple's divorce was finalized in June 2016. "If I can show that I'm out and I'm fine, then hopefully the younger generation will feel the same way.". I didn't want to break the law.". . [4] She was selected to the 2009 All-American basketball team. In this blog, you can all details like Who Is Raymond Griner? [59][60][61] She scored the most points in the playoffs, 240 points, helping the Mercury beat the New York Liberty, Seattle Storm, the first seed Las Vegas Aces and helping the Mercury reach the WNBA finals, where they lost to the Chicago Sky in 4 games. "I was real glad, real proud that they had worked out something," said Raymond Griner, Brittneys father, in an interview with FOX 26 Sports. [84] She holds the NCAA record for dunks in a career with 18 total dunks. [69][70], In the 201415 and 201516 off-seasons, Griner played in Russia for UMMC Ekaterinburg with teammate Diana Taurasi, winning back-to-back championships.[71][72]. Griner was hailed as an "American hero" by fellow WNBA star, Nneka Ogwumike in the wake of the charges against her. Yet, there's not a task in this world that could keep any of us from worrying about you. 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.