Brittney Yevette Griner, born October 18, 1990, is an American professional basketball player. She has spent years fielding public speculation about her gender due to her height and voice.
This article separates confirmed facts from rumors and explains what the WNBA star has actually said about her identity.
Who is Brittney Griner?
Griner works as a professional basketball player, currently playing center in the WNBA. She became the first overall pick in the 2013 WNBA Draft after a decorated college career at Baylor University.
She has since built one of the most accomplished careers in WNBA history. Griner won a WNBA championship in 2014 and has earned three Olympic gold medals with Team USA.
Beyond basketball, Griner became a globally recognized figure in 2022 after being detained in Russia for nearly ten months.
Her release that December, following a prisoner exchange, drew international attention and made her one of the most closely followed athletes in the world.
Is Brittney Griner Transgender?
Brittney Griner is not transgender. She is a cisgender woman who came out publicly as a lesbian in February 2013, during an interview with Sports Illustrated.
Much of the ongoing speculation traces back to her height and deep voice. Standing 6 feet 9 inches tall, Griner has faced comments about her gender since childhood, long before she ever spoke publicly about her sexuality.
She addressed the confusion directly in that 2013 interview, when a reporter asked her about coming out. Griner responded simply that being open is about being true to yourself, regardless of what others might say.
Griner had already come out to her mother while in high school. Her father, Raymond Griner, did not accept the news right away, and she lived with an assistant coach for about six weeks during her senior year before the two eventually reconciled.
She has spoken about being bullied throughout childhood over her height, voice, and sexuality. In past interviews, she has described the experience as being picked on simply for being different.
Griner has continued to use her platform to support LGBTQ+ visibility in sports. In a 2019 interview with ESPN, she said she hoped her openness would make things easier for athletes coming up after her.
Early Life of Brittney Griner
Griner was born in Houston, Texas, to Raymond and Sandra Griner. Her father worked as a Harris County deputy sheriff and served two tours in the Vietnam War.
She grew up as the youngest of four children, alongside older siblings Decarlo, Pier, and Shkera. Griner attended Nimitz High School, where she quickly became a dominant force on the basketball court.
During her senior year, she recorded 52 dunks in a single season, including seven dunks in one game against Aldine High School.
She also set a state single-season record with 318 blocked shots and led her team to the Texas 5A state championship game.
Griner earned WBCA All-American honors before graduating. That success carried directly into her decision to play college basketball at Baylor University in Waco, Texas.
Brittney Griner Age
Griner was born on October 18, 1990, making her 35 years old as of 2026. Her zodiac sign is Libra.
She entered the WNBA at just 22 years old after being drafted first overall in 2013. Griner has now spent more than a decade in the league, making her one of its most experienced active players.
Brittney Griner Ethnicity and Nationality
Griner holds American nationality and was born and raised in Houston, Texas. She is Black, and her family background includes a father who served in the United States military during the Vietnam War.
Her upbringing in Texas shaped her early basketball career, from her standout high school seasons through her recruitment to Baylor. Griner has remained connected to Houston throughout her professional career, including property she has owned there.
Brittney Griner Height and Weight
Griner stands 6 feet 9 inches tall, or about 2.06 meters. Her exact current playing weight has not been confirmed through a recent primary source.
Her height has made her one of the tallest players in WNBA history and a dominant shot-blocker throughout her career.
That same height, combined with her voice, has also fueled years of public speculation about her gender, which she has addressed directly on multiple occasions.
Brittney Griner Career
Draft and Early WNBA Years
The Phoenix Mercury selected Griner first overall in the 2013 WNBA Draft. She quickly became one of the league’s most dominant post players, known for her shot-blocking and scoring ability near the basket.
In 2014, Griner became the first player in WNBA playoff history to record a slam dunk. That same year, she helped lead the Mercury to a WNBA championship, still the only title of her career.
Olympic and International Success
Griner has won three Olympic gold medals with Team USA’s women’s basketball team. She also played professionally overseas, winning the Russian National League three times and the EuroLeague four times during offseasons with UMMC Ekaterinburg.
It was during one of those offseason trips to Russia, in February 2022, that Griner was detained at a Moscow airport after authorities said she was carrying vape cartridges containing cannabis oil. The U.S. State Department later classified her as wrongfully detained.
Return to the WNBA and Recent Seasons
Griner was released in December 2022 as part of a prisoner exchange for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, after roughly ten months in Russian custody. She signed a one-year deal to return to the Phoenix Mercury for the 2023 season and continued playing there through 2024.
In January 2025, Griner left Phoenix after eleven seasons to sign with the Atlanta Dream, citing her teammates and family as key factors in the decision. She averaged 9.8 points and 5.2 rebounds per game with Atlanta that season.
In April 2026, Griner signed a one-year, seven-figure contract with the Connecticut Sun, her first deal to reach seven figures under the league’s new collective bargaining structure. She continues to hold the WNBA’s all-time dunk record.
Brittney Griner Career Stats and Records
Griner remains the WNBA’s all-time leader in career dunks. Her individual honors include ten WNBA All-Star selections, six All-WNBA Team nods, two WNBA scoring titles, and two WNBA Defensive Player of the Year awards.
She has also earned eight WNBA blocks titles across her career. Griner appears on the WNBA’s Top 25 Players of All Time list, recognizing her impact since entering the league in 2013.
Brittney Griner Awards and Championships
Griner won the 2014 WNBA Championship with the Phoenix Mercury. She has also won three Olympic gold medals with Team USA, most recently at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
At Baylor, she won the 2012 NCAA championship and earned National Player of the Year honors in both 2012 and 2013. Those college accolades helped make her the top overall pick in the 2013 WNBA Draft.
Brittney Griner Endorsements and Sponsorships
Griner has held endorsement deals with Nike, Oura, Round21, and Six Star Pro Nutrition. She has also appeared in campaigns for Disney Plus and other brands tied to her public profile following her return from Russia.
Brittney Griner Wife
Griner is married to Cherelle Griner, formerly known as Cherelle Watson. The two met while attending Baylor University together, where Cherelle studied political science before later earning a law degree from North Carolina Central University.
Griner proposed to Cherelle in August 2018, and the couple married in June 2019. Cherelle became a public figure in her own right during Griner’s detention in Russia, advocating publicly for her wife’s release, including an appearance on The View in 2022.
Brittney Griner Children
Griner and Cherelle welcomed their first child together, a son named Bash, in July 2024. The couple announced the pregnancy in April 2024, ahead of the Paris Olympics that summer.
Griner has spoken about balancing her basketball career with fatherhood duties on the road. She regularly shares moments with Bash, including video calls during away games, on her social media.
Brittney Griner Net Worth
Celebrity Net Worth estimates Brittney Griner’s net worth at $5 million as of 2026. Her income comes from her WNBA salary, international league contracts, and endorsement deals with brands including Nike and Oura.
Her new contract with the Connecticut Sun for the 2026 season is worth $1.19 million, her first seven-figure WNBA deal. Griner also owns property in Houston and has lived with Cherelle in Phoenix during her years with the Mercury.
Brittney Griner Social Media
Griner is active on Instagram, where she shares updates about her basketball career, family life, and moments with her son, Bash. She regularly posts from WNBA games and Team USA events, including her appearances at the Olympics.
Her platform grew substantially following her return from Russia in December 2022, when she became one of the most closely followed athletes in the country. She continues to use her visibility to speak on issues including WNBA player travel conditions and security.
The Bottom Line
Griner won a WNBA championship with the Phoenix Mercury in 2014 and has since added three Olympic gold medals with Team USA. In April 2026, she signed her first seven-figure WNBA contract with the Connecticut Sun.
She came out publicly as a lesbian in 2013 and has spoken openly about facing bullying over her height and voice since childhood. Griner uses her platform today to advocate for LGBTQ+ visibility in professional sports.
She married Cherelle Griner in 2019, and the couple welcomed their son, Bash, in July 2024. Griner now enters the 2026 WNBA season with the Connecticut Sun after stops with Atlanta and more than a decade in Phoenix.
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