View source for Brittney Griner

{{Short description|American basketball player (born 1990)}}
{{Pp-vandalism|small=yes}}
{{Use American English|date=July 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Brittney Griner
| image = Brittney Griner 3 (cropped2).jpg
| caption = Griner with the [[Phoenix Mercury]] in 2019
| position = [[Center (basketball)|Center]]
| height = {{Convert|6|ft|9|in|cm|sigfig=3|abbr=on}}
| weight_lb = 205
| league = [[Women's National Basketball Association|WNBA]]
| team = Atlanta Dream
| number = 42
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1990|10|18}}
| birth_place = [[Houston]], [[Texas]], U.S.
| highschool = [[Nimitz High School (Harris County, Texas)|Nimitz]] (Houston, Texas)
| college = [[Baylor Bears women's basketball|Baylor]] (2009–2013)
| draft_league = WNBA
| draft_year = 2013
| draft_round = 1
| draft_pick = 1
| draft_team = [[Phoenix Mercury]]
| career_start = 2013
| career_end = 
| years1 = {{WNBA Year|2013}}–{{WNBA Year|2024}}
| team1 = [[Phoenix Mercury]]
| years2 = 2013–2014
| team2 = [[Zhejiang Golden Bulls]]
| years3 = 2014–2015
| team3 = [[Beijing Great Wall]]
| years4 = 2015–2022
| team4 = [[UMMC Ekaterinburg]]
| years5 = [[2025 Unrivaled season|2025]]–present
| team5 = [[Phantom BC]]
| years6 = [[2025 WNBA season|2025]]–present
| team6 = [[Atlanta Dream]]
| highlights = * [[List of WNBA champions|WNBA champion]] ([[2014 WNBA Finals|2014]])
* 10× [[WNBA All-Star Game|WNBA All-Star]] ([[2013 WNBA All-Star Game|2013]]–[[2015 WNBA All-Star Game|2015]], [[2017 WNBA All-Star Game|2017]]–[[2019 WNBA All-Star Game|2019]], [[2021 WNBA All-Star Game|2021]]–[[2024 WNBA All-Star Game|2024]])
* 2× [[List of Women's National Basketball Association season scoring leaders|WNBA scoring champion]] ({{WNBA Year|2017}}, {{WNBA Year|2019}})
* 8× [[List of Women's National Basketball Association season blocks leaders|WNBA blocks leader]] ({{WNBA Year|2013}}–{{WNBA Year|2019}}, {{WNBA Year|2021}})
* 2× [[WNBA Peak Performers|WNBA Peak Performer]] ({{WNBA Year|2017}}, {{WNBA Year|2019}})
* 3× [[All-WNBA Team|All-WNBA First Team]] ({{WNBA Year|2014}}, {{WNBA Year|2019}}, {{WNBA Year|2021}})
* 3× [[All-WNBA Team|All-WNBA Second Team]] ({{WNBA Year|2015}}, {{WNBA Year|2017}}, {{WNBA Year|2018}})
* 2× [[WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Award|WNBA Defensive Player of the Year]] ({{WNBA Year|2014}}, {{WNBA Year|2015}})
* 3× [[WNBA All-Defensive Team|WNBA All-Defensive First Team]] ({{WNBA Year|2014}}, {{WNBA Year|2015}}, {{WNBA Year|2018}})
* 4× [[WNBA All-Defensive Team|WNBA All-Defensive Second Team]] ({{WNBA Year|2016}}, {{WNBA Year|2017}}, {{WNBA Year|2019}}, {{WNBA Year|2021}})
* [[WNBA All-Rookie Team]] ({{WNBA Year|2013}})
* [[The W25|WNBA 25th Anniversary Team]] ({{WNBA Year|2021}})
* 3× [[Russian Women's Basketball Premier League|Russian National League]] champion (2015–2017)
* 4× [[EuroLeague Women|EuroLeague]] champion (2016, 2018, 2019, 2021)
* Russian Cup winner (2017)
* [[List of NCAA Women's Division I Basketball champions|NCAA champion]] ([[2012 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament|2012]])
* [[NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player|NCAA Tournament MOP]] ([[2012 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament|2012]])
* 2x [[Naismith College Player of the Year]] (2012, 2013)
* 2× [[Wade Trophy]] Player of the Year (2012, 2013)
* 2x [[John R. Wooden Award]] (2012, 2013)
* 2x [[Associated Press Women's College Basketball Player of the Year|AP Player of the Year]] (2012, 2013)
* 2x [[USBWA Women's National Player of the Year|USBWA National Player of the Year]] (2012, 2013)
* [[Honda Sports Award]] (2012)
* [[Honda-Broderick Cup]] (2012)
* 3x [[WBCA Defensive Player of the Year]] (2011–2013)
* 3x All-American – [[United States Basketball Writers Association|USBWA]], [[Women's Basketball Coaches Association|State Farm/WBCA]] Coaches' (2011–2013)
* 3× First-team [[NCAA Women's Basketball All-Americans|All-American]] – [[Associated Press|AP]] (2011–2013)
* Second-team All-American – AP (2010)
* 3× [[Big 12 Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Year|Big 12 Player of the Year]] (2011–2013)
* 4× [[Big 12 Conference|Big 12]] Defensive Player of the Year (2010–2013)
* 3x [[Big 12 Conference women's basketball tournament|Big 12 Tournament MOP]] ([[2011 Big 12 Conference women's basketball tournament|2011]], [[2012 Big 12 Conference women's basketball tournament|2012]], [[2013 Big 12 Conference women's basketball tournament|2013]])
* 4x First-team All-Big 12 (2010–2013)
* 4x Big 12 All-Defensive Team (2010–2013)
* [[USBWA National Freshman of the Year]] (2010)
* Big 12 Freshman of the Year (2010)
* Big 12 All-Freshman Team (2010)
* [[McDonald's All-American Game|McDonald's All-American]] ([[2009 McDonald's All-American Girls Game|2009]])
* [[Women's Basketball Coaches Association|WBCA]] High School Player of the Year (2009)
* 2012-13 WBCA All-American
| bbr_wnba = grinebr01w
| wnba_profile = brittney_griner
| medaltemplates = {{MedalSport|Women's basketball}}
{{MedalCountry|the {{bkw|USA}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Basketball at the Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2016 Summer Olympics|2016 Rio de Janeiro]]|[[Basketball at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament|Team]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2020 Summer Olympics|2020 Tokyo]]|[[Basketball at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament|Team]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2024 Summer Olympics|2024 Paris]]|[[Basketball at the 2024 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament|Team]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup|World Cup]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2014 FIBA World Championship for Women|2014 Turkey]]|}}
{{MedalGold|[[2018 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup|2018 Spain]]|}}
}}
[[File:Brittney Griner accepting Wade Trophy 2.jpg|thumb|Griner accepting Wade Trophy at the WBCA Awards show in Denver Colorado 2012]]
'''Brittney Yvette Griner''' ({{IPAc-en|'|g|r|aɪ|n|ər}}; born October 18, 1990) is an American professional [[basketball]] player for the [[Atlanta Dream]] of the [[Women's National Basketball Association]] (WNBA).<ref>{{cite web|title=Brittney Griner|url=https://www.wnba.com/player/brittney-griner/|url-status=live|access-date=November 16, 2021|website=Official Site of the WNBA|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150527002107/http://www.wnba.com:80/player/brittney-griner/ |archive-date=May 27, 2015 }}</ref> She is a three-time Olympic gold medalist with the [[United States women's national basketball team|U.S. women's national basketball team]]<ref name=Olympics>[https://web.archive.org/web/20141016194645/http://www.teamusa.org/usa-basketball/athletes/Brittney-Griner#:~:text=Two%2Dtime%20Olympian%20(2016%2C,Olympic%20Games%20Rio%202016%2C%20gold "Brittney Griner"], United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. Retrieved December 12, 2022</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|last=Gregory|first=Sean|title=U.S. Women's Basketball Team Wins Gold in Startlingly Close Paris Olympics Final|magazine=Time|date=11 August 2024|access-date=11 August 2024|url=https://time.com/7009948/team-usa-france-womens-basketball-final-game-paris-olympics/}}</ref> and a six-time [[WNBA All-Star Game|WNBA All-Star]].<ref>[https://www.wnba.com/player/brittney-griner "Brittney Griner"], WNBA.com. Retrieved December 12, 2022</ref> Griner was named one of the [[Time 100|100 most influential people in the world]] by ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine in 2023.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://time.com/collection/100-most-influential-people-2023/ |title=Time 100 |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date=April 13, 2023 |access-date=April 15, 2023 }}</ref>

In 2009, Griner was named the nation's No. 1 high school women's basketball player by [[Rivals.com]].<ref name=rivals>Jeff Fedotin, [http://highschool.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=916007 Griner named nation's no. 1 player] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090304001056/http://highschool.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=916007 |date=March 4, 2009 }}, [[Yahoo]] Sports. Retrieved April 19, 2013.</ref> She was selected to the 2009 [[All-American]] basketball team.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.maxpreps.com/FanPages/content/Article.mxp/articleid-0c38313e-cd38-4edd-bdae-33c4870ef4fc |title=McDonald's Girls All-American Teams Announced |publisher=Maxpreps.com |access-date=April 29, 2013}}</ref> She played [[college basketball]] for the [[Baylor Bears women's basketball|Baylor Lady Bears]] in [[Waco, Texas]].<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/dave_krider/01/16/brittney.griner/index.html |title=Houston rocket: Nimitz 6–6 sophomore "Brittney Griner is taking off" |magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]] |date=January 16, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070126113227/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/dave_krider/01/16/brittney.griner/index.html |access-date=December 8, 2022 |archive-date=January 26, 2007 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first=Brittney |last=Griner |url=http://www.baylorbears.com/sports/w-baskbl/mtt/griner_brittney00.html |title=Baylor Women's Basketball Player Bio |publisher=Baylorbears.com |access-date=April 29, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707214718/http://www.baylorbears.com/sports/w-baskbl/mtt/griner_brittney00.html |archive-date=July 7, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> She had a breakout junior 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]]. Griner is also the only [[NCAA]] basketball player to both score 2,000 points and block 500 shots.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/20/sports/ncaabasketball/brittney-griners-final-season-draws-applause-and-crowds.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |first=Jeré | last=Longman |title=Brittney Griner's Final Season Draws Applause and Crowds |date=March 19, 2013 |access-date=December 8, 2022 }}</ref>

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]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Taylor |first=Derrick Bryson |url=https://www.essence.com/news/brittney-griner-signs-endorsement-deal-nike/ |title=Brittney Griner Signs Endorsement Deal with Nike |date=October 28, 2020 |website=[[Essence (magazine)|Essence]]}}</ref> Standing {{convert|6|ft|9|in|cm|sigfig=3|abbr=on}} tall, Griner wears a men's U.S. size 17 shoe and has an [[arm span]] of {{convert|87.5|in|cm|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{cite web|title=Brittney Griner|url=https://www.wnba.com/player/brittney-griner/|access-date=August 4, 2021|website=WNBA.com – Official Site of the WNBA|language=en}}</ref><ref name=rivals/>

Griner led the U.S. national women's basketball team to victory at the [[Basketball at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament|Rio Olympics]] in 2016.<ref>{{cite web|title=Brittney Griner|url=https://www.teamusa.com/profiles/brittney-griner-907854|url-status=live|access-date=November 16, 2021|website=Team USA|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141016194645/http://www.teamusa.org/usa-basketball/athletes/Brittney-Griner |archive-date=October 16, 2014 }}</ref> In 2020, Griner protested "[[The Star-Spangled Banner]]" and stated she would not be on the court while the national anthem was played during game openers.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.yahoo.com/video/wnb-as-brittney-griner-national-anthem-has-no-place-in-wnba-sports-222810318.html/ |title=Brittney Griner: National anthem has no place in WNBA, sports |date=July 27, 2020 |website=yahoo.com |access-date=March 26, 2022 |archive-date=December 9, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221209152551/https://www.yahoo.com/video/wnb-as-brittney-griner-national-anthem-has-no-place-in-wnba-sports-222810318.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Cindy |last=Boren |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2020/07/28/brittney-griner-brianna-turner-call-wnba-stop-playing-national-anthem-this-season/ |title=Brittney Griner, Brianna Turner call for WNBA to stop playing national anthem this season |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=July 28, 2020 |access-date=December 8, 2022 }}</ref> She changed this decision after her incarceration, now standing for the anthem, while being clear that she continues to support those who choose to protest.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Griner |first1=Brittney |title=Coming Home |last2=with Burford |first2=Michelle |publisher=Alfred A. Knopf |year=2024 |isbn=978-1914613760 |location=New York |pages=260 |quote=I stood for the national anthem, teared up at its new meaning for me, stood proudly for the reason I once knelt, because I cherish my homeland.}}</ref> Griner was named to the national team for the [[Basketball at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament|2020 Olympics]] (held in 2021 in Tokyo), where she won her second gold medal.<ref name=Olympics/> She won her third consecutive gold medal with Team USA at the [[Basketball at the 2024 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament|2024 Olympics]] in France. She is also a two-time [[FIBA Women's World Cup]] winner with Team USA (2014 and 2018).

On February 17, 2022, Griner was detained and [[Viktor Bout–Brittney Griner prisoner exchange|arrested on smuggling charges]] by [[Federal Customs Service of Russia|Russian customs]] officials after cartridges containing less than a gram of medically prescribed [[hash oil]],<ref name=CannabisNYT/> illegal in Russia, were found in her luggage. She had been playing basketball with the [[Russian Women's Basketball Premier League|Russian Premier League]] during the WNBA off-season. Her trial began on July 1, 2022 and she pled guilty to the charges. On August 4, 2022, she was sentenced to nine years in prison.<ref name=":2" /> In November 2022, Griner was transferred to the Russian penal colony [[Corrective colony No. 2, Mordovia|IK-2]].<ref name=":3" /> U.S. officials stated that she was "wrongfully detained".<ref name=":5">{{Cite news |title=Mural of Brittney Griner, other detained Americans unveiled in Georgetown |language=en-US |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/07/20/brittney-griner-mural-washington/ |date=July 20, 2022|access-date=October 22, 2022 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref> On December 8, 2022, Griner was released in a prisoner exchange for Russian arms dealer [[Viktor Bout]].<ref name=":4">{{cite web | url=https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/brittney-griner-release-russia-prisoner-swap-viktor-bout/?ftag=CNM-00-10aab7e&linkId=192874405 | title=Brittney Griner released by Russia in 1-for-1 prisoner swap for arms dealer Viktor Bout | website=[[CBS News]] | date=December 9, 2022 }}</ref> She made her return to the WNBA in May 2023, receiving a standing ovation from the audience.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Griner returns to basketball with Oregon supporters |url=https://www.streetroots.org/news/2023/06/07/griner-returns-basketball-oregon-supporters |access-date=2023-07-01 |website=www.streetroots.org |language=en}}</ref>

==Early life==
Griner was born October 18, 1990, in [[Houston, Texas]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/ap-brittney-griner-houston-wnba-ncaa-b2138305.html |agency=[[Associated Press]] |newspaper=[[The Independent]]|language=en|url-status=live|title=A look at Brittney Griner's career on, off basketball court|date=August 4, 2022|access-date=November 23, 2022|archivedate=November 23, 2022|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20221123190611/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/ap-brittney-griner-houston-wnba-ncaa-b2138305.html}}</ref> the daughter of Raymond Griner, a Harris County deputy sheriff<ref name=ESPN6.24.22>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/college-sports/recruiting/basketball/womens/news/story?id=3457538|title=Greatness and Griner go hand in hand|author=Nelson, Glenn|publisher=[[ESPN]]|url-status=live|language=en-US|date=June 24, 2022|access-date=November 23, 2022|archivedate=August 22, 2022|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220822213543/https://www.espn.com/college-sports/recruiting/basketball/womens/news/story?id=3457538}}</ref> and two-tour [[Vietnam War]] veteran,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://global.nba.com/news/brittney-griner-is-becoming-the-leader-she-was-destined-to-be/|publisher=[[NBA]]|title=Brittney Griner Is Becoming The Leader She Was Destined To Be|author=Altman, Lee|language=en-US|url-status=live|date=June 12, 2017|access-date=November 23, 2022|archivedate=November 23, 2022|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20221123191757/http://global.nba.com/news/brittney-griner-is-becoming-the-leader-she-was-destined-to-be/}}</ref> and Sandra Griner.<ref name=ESPN6.24.22/> She has three older siblings, D, Shkera and Pier.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.teamusa.com/profiles/brittney-griner-907854|publisher=Team USA|title=About|language=en-US|url-status=live|access-date=November 23, 2022|archivedate=November 19, 2022|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20221119174633/https://www.teamusa.org/usa-basketball/athletes/Brittney-Griner}}</ref>

Griner attended [[Nimitz High School (Harris County, Texas)|Nimitz High School]] in Houston. In addition to lettering in basketball throughout high school, she played [[varsity team|varsity]] [[volleyball]] as a freshman. Starting in her sophomore year, Griner practiced with the boys' basketball team, and worked with a Nimitz football coach to develop her leg strength in preparation for learning to [[Slam dunk|dunk]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/college-sports/recruiting/basketball/womens/news/story?id=3457538 |title=Greatness and Griner go hand in hand |author=Nelson, Glenn |website=ESPNHS HoopGurlz |date=June 24, 2008 |publisher=ESPN |access-date=June 16, 2017}}</ref> During her junior season, a YouTube video featuring her dunks was watched more than 6.6&nbsp;million times,<ref>{{youTube |id=tuDfRzY2Vqw |title=Britney ''[sic]'' Griner: High School Girl Dunker}}</ref> leading to a meeting with [[Shaquille O'Neal]].<ref name=Chron-090112/>

During her senior year, Griner led the Nimitz Cougars to the Texas 5A girls basketball state [[Final (competition)|championship]] game, where Nimitz lost 52–43 to [[Mansfield Summit High School]]. Griner dunked 52 times in 32 games as a senior, setting a single-game record of seven dunks against Aldine High School.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baylor.edu/lariat/news.php?action=story&story=64166|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140312014754/http://www.baylor.edu/lariat/news.php?action=story&story=64166|archive-date = March 12, 2014|title = The Baylor Lariat &#124; the official student news source}}</ref> Houston mayor Bill White declared May 7, 2009, Brittney Griner Day.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/04/04/a-look-at-brittney-griner-as-baylor-notre-dame-spar-for-other-ncaa-hoops-title/ |title=Baylor star center Brittney Griner leads team to 40–0 season, championship |author=McLaughlin, Elliot L. |date=April 4, 2012 |publisher=CNN |access-date=June 16, 2017 |archive-date=September 23, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170923051214/http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/04/04/a-look-at-brittney-griner-as-baylor-notre-dame-spar-for-other-ncaa-hoops-title/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> On November 11, 2008, she recorded 25 blocks in a game against Houston Alief Hastings, the most ever recorded by a female in a high school game in the U.S.<ref name=Chron-090112>{{cite news |url=http://www.chron.com/sports/high-school/article/Basketball-prodigy-s-tall-tale-is-no-myth-1589149.php |title=Basketball prodigy's tall tale is no myth |author=Campbell, Steve |date=January 12, 2009 |newspaper=[[Houston Chronicle]]|access-date=June 16, 2017}}</ref> In her 2008–09 season, she recorded 318 blocks, a single-season record.<ref name="HS records">{{cite web|title=High School Sports Record Book|url=http://www.nfhs.org/recordbook/Records.aspx?CategoryId=1434|publisher=National Federation of State High School Associations|access-date=July 1, 2012}}</ref>

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.<ref name="WBCA Box Scores"/>

==College career==
Griner played college basketball at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baylorbears.com/sports/w-baskbl/mtt/griner_brittney00.html|title=Brittney Griner Profile|publisher=Baylorbears.com|access-date=July 28, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707214718/http://www.baylorbears.com/sports/w-baskbl/mtt/griner_brittney00.html|archive-date=July 7, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> On December 16, 2009, Griner recorded Baylor's first [[triple-double]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.interbasket.net/news/2009/12/17/brittney-griner-has-triple-double-misses-3-dunks/ |title=Brittney Griner has triple-double, misses 3 dunks |publisher=Interbasket.net |date=December 17, 2009 |access-date=April 29, 2013}}</ref> with 34 points, 13 rebounds, and [[Big 12 Conference]] record 11 blocked shots. In January 2010, she became only the seventh player to dunk during a women's college basketball game,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baylorbears.com/sports/w-baskbl/recaps/010210aac.html|title=Griner Dunks Twice in WBB's 99–18 Win|publisher=Baylorbears.com|date=January 2, 2010|access-date=April 3, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150126172619/http://www.baylorbears.com/sports/w-baskbl/recaps/010210aac.html|archive-date=January 26, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> and only the second woman to dunk twice in a single college game, making the second and third dunks of her college career<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.interbasket.net/news/2010/01/03/video-brittney-griner-dunks-twice-baylor-wins-by-81/ |title=Video: Brittney Griner dunks twice, Baylor wins by 81 |publisher=Interbasket.net |access-date=July 28, 2015}}</ref> in a lopsided 99–18 victory against [[Texas State University]].

On March 3, 2010, Griner and [[Texas Tech Lady Raiders basketball|Texas Tech]] player Jordan Barncastle were battling for position near the lane.  As a [[Foul (basketball)|foul]] was being called on Barncastle, Griner took two steps forward and threw a right-handed roundhouse punch which broke Barncastle's nose. Griner was then [[ejection (sports)|ejected]] from the game. Lady Bears coach [[Kim Mulkey]] then imposed another one-game [[suspension (punishment)|suspension]] in addition to the one-game suspension mandated by [[NCAA]] rules.<ref>[https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/news/story?id=4963605&campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines "Griner punches Barncastle after foul"], [[ESPN.com]], March 4, 2010.</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/05/sports/ncaabasketball/05hoops.html "Baylor Freshman Suspended for Punching Opponent in the Face"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171108093823/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/05/sports/ncaabasketball/05hoops.html |date=November 8, 2017 }}, [[Associated Press|AP]] in ''[[The New York Times]]'', March 4, 2010.</ref>

Baylor entered the NCAA Tournament as a 4th seed, and knocked off top-seeded [[Tennessee Lady Volunteers basketball|Tennessee]] in the Sweet 16. On March 22, Griner set an [[NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship|NCAA tournament]] record with 14 blocked shots in a 49–33 win against the [[Georgetown Hoyas women's basketball|Georgetown Hoyas]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=300810239 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180303225257/http://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=300810239 |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 3, 2018 |title=Georgetown Hoyas vs. Baylor Lady Bears – Recap |publisher=ESPN|date=March 22, 2010 |access-date=April 3, 2010}}</ref> In the Elite Eight, Baylor defeated [[Duke Blue Devils|Duke]] 51–48, and Griner blocked 9 shots, totaling 35 for the tournament, a new NCAA Women's Tournament record. Duke's [[Alison Bales]] had held the previous record of 30 blocks in the 2006 NCAA Women's Tournament.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/ncaa/womens-basketball/news?slug=ap-ncaa-griner-blocks |title=Griner sets NCAA tournament mark for blocked shots|publisher=Rivals.yahoo.com |date=March 30, 2010 |access-date=April 3, 2010}}</ref> Baylor reached the Final Four, before losing to eventual-champion UConn, 70–50. Griner was named an AP Second Team All-American.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wnbadraft.net/players/brittney-griner/|title=Brittney Griner – WNBA Draft|date=October 14, 2012|access-date=October 11, 2012}}</ref>

As a sophomore, Griner received First Team All-American honors after averaging 23 points a game, including a career-high 40 points against [[Green Bay Phoenix|Green Bay]] in the Sweet 16.<ref name="Baylor Athletics">{{cite web |url=http://www.baylorbears.com/sports/w-baskbl/stats.html |title=Baylor University Sports Information |publisher=Baylorbears.com |access-date=April 29, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130430215228/http://www.baylorbears.com/sports/w-baskbl/stats.html |archive-date=April 30, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Her sophomore season ended with a 48-56 loss to the eventual national champion and conference rival, Texas A&M University.

In her [[2011–12 Baylor Lady Bears basketball team|junior season]], Griner averaged 23.2 points, 9.4 rebounds and 5 blocks per game.<ref name="Baylor Athletics"/> She blocked more shots than any other [[Division I (NCAA)|Division I]] women's ''team'' that season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/page/threetosee/comfort-zone |title=Comfort Zone |first=Graham |last=Hays |publisher=[[ESPN.com|espnW]] |date=December 5, 2012 |access-date=December 5, 2012}}</ref> Griner was named AP Player of the Year<ref name="espn.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/story/_/id/7759778/baylor-bears-brittney-griner-ap-player-year |title=Baylor Bears' Brittney Griner is AP Player of the Year |publisher=Espn.go.com |date=January 4, 2012 |access-date=July 28, 2015}}</ref> and The 2012 Premier Player of Women's College Basketball.

On April 3, 2012, Griner led Baylor with 26 points, 13 rebounds and 5 blocked shots to win the Division I Women's Basketball Championship, 80–61 over [[Notre Dame Fighting Irish women's basketball|Notre Dame]]. Griner was named the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player. Baylor finished its undefeated season with 40 wins, the most in NCAA history.<ref name="Herald-mail.com">John Altavilla, [http://www.herald-mail.com/sports/chi-baylor-women-top-notre-dame-to-complete-perfect-400-season-20120403,0,3438038.story Herald-Mail] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120407040235/http://www.herald-mail.com/sports/chi-baylor-women-top-notre-dame-to-complete-perfect-400-season-20120403,0,3438038.story |date=April 7, 2012 }} Baylor women top Notre Dame to complete 40–0 season, April 3, 2012.</ref>

After winning the championship on April 3, 2012, Griner decided to withdraw her candidacy for a roster spot on the 2012 U.S. Olympic women's basketball team. A month later Griner broke her wrist after jumping off her skateboard when she was going down a ramp.<ref name="usatoday">{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaw/2012/10/15/griner-focused-on-senior-season-with-champ-baylor/1635277/ |title=Griner focused on senior season with champ Baylor |publisher=Usatoday.com |date=October 15, 2012 |access-date=March 24, 2013}}</ref>

Her college career came to an end in the 2013 NCAA women's basketball tournament when Baylor lost to the [[University of Louisville]] Cardinals during her senior year, in the Sweet 16.<ref>[https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/tournament/2013/story/_/id/9119261/women-ncaa-tournament-2013-louisville-cardinals-stun-baylor-lady-bears-game-biggest-upset Game's biggest upset stuns Baylor]  ESPN. March 31, 2013.</ref> She later received her bachelor's degree in education in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-12-20 |title=Brittney Griner, Baylor and Waco still coming to terms |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/35281960/how-brittney-griner-baylor-city-waco-coming-terms |access-date=2025-03-29 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref>

===College statistics===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|style="background:#afe6ba; width:3em;"|†
|NCAA championship
|-
|style="background:#E0CEF2; width:1em"|{{double dagger}}
|NCAA record
|}

{{WNBA player statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2009–10 NCAA Division I women's basketball season|2009–10]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2009–10 Baylor Lady Bears basketball team|Baylor]]
| 35 || 35 || 33.5 || .503 || .000 || .684 || 8.5 || 1.0 || 0.5 || 6.4 || 2.8 || 18.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|2010–11
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2010–11 Baylor Lady Bears basketball team|Baylor]]
| 37 || 37 || 31.8 || .543 || .500 || .777 || 7.8 || 1.4 || 0.4 || 4.6 || 2.1 || 23.0
|-
| style="background:#afe6ba; text-align:left;"|2011–12†
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2011–12 Baylor Lady Bears basketball team|Baylor]]
| 40 || 40 || 32.7 || .609 || .500 || .800 || 9.5 || 1.6 || 0.6 || 5.2 || 1.7 || 23.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2012–13 NCAA Division I women's basketball season|2012–13]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2012–13 Baylor Lady Bears basketball team|Baylor]]
| 36 || 36 || 30.3 || .607 || .000 || .712 || 9.4 || 2.4 || 0.7 || 4.1 || 1.9 || 23.8
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career
| 148 || 148 || 32.0 || .569 || .400 || .747 || 8.8 || 1.6 || 0.5 ||5.1 || 1.4 || 22.2
{{s-end}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan=2 | Year !! colspan=2|Rebounds!! colspan=2|Blocks!! colspan=2|Points!! rowspan=2| Notable stats.
|-
! Total !! Season high !! Total  !! Season high !! Total !! Season high 
|-
| 2009–10 || 297 || 21  || style="background:#E0CEF2|223{{double dagger}} || 14 || 644 || 34 || {{double dagger}}<small>NCAA record for blocks in a season</small>
|-
| 2010–11 || 290 || 15  || 170 || 10  || 852 || 40 ||
|-
| style="background:#afe6ba;| 2011–12† || 379 || 15  || 206 || 9 || 929 || 45 ||
|-
| 2012–13 || 339 || 15 || 149 || 7 || 858 || 50 || 
|-
||Career || colspan=2 | 1,305 || colspan=2; style="background:#E0CEF2|748{{double dagger}} || colspan=2|3,283 || {{double dagger}}<small>NCAA record for career blocks (men and women)</small>
|}

==Professional career==
===WNBA===
[[File:Griner dunking at 2015 All-Star game.jpg|thumb|Griner dunking at the 2015 WNBA All-Star game held at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut]]
The only female WNBA players surpassing Griner's height of {{convert|6|ft|9|in}}, also that of fellow center [[Liz Cambage]] of Australia, have been the late [[Margo Dydek]] of Poland, at {{convert|7|ft|2|in}}, [[Bernadett Határ]] of Hungary, at {{convert|6|ft|10.5|in}}<ref>Mansfield, Taylor. [https://wegotthiscovered.com/celebrities/how-tall-is-brittney-griner-and-is-she-the-tallest-wnba-player "How tall is Brittney Griner and is she the tallest WNBA player?"], We Got This Covered, December 8, 2022</ref> and [[Han Xu (basketball)|Han Xu]] of China at {{convert|6|ft|10|in}}.<ref>Powell, Jackie. [https://www.thenexthoops.com/wnba/new-york-liberty/age-is-no-longer-a-limit-for-han-xu "Age is no longer a limit for Han Xu"], The Next Hoops, June 24, 2022</ref>

====2013====
In the [[2013 WNBA draft]], the [[Phoenix Mercury]] selected Griner as the first overall pick. In her debut on May 27, 2013, against [[Chicago Sky]], Griner equaled the WNBA dunk record, recording two dunks to equal [[Candace Parker]]'s career total.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/9316774/wnba-elena-delle-donne-chicago-sky-knock-brittney-griner-phoenix-mercury |first=Michelle |last=Smith |title=WNBA – Elena Delle Donne, Chicago Sky knock off Brittney Griner, Phoenix Mercury |work=[[ESPN]] |date=May 28, 2013 |access-date=December 4, 2013 }}</ref> She thus became the third WNBA player to dunk and first to do so twice in one game.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wnba.com/mercury/news/chicago_sky_130527.html |title=Slow Start, Long Season |work=wnba.com |first=Ben |last=York |date=May 27, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130613021645/http://www.wnba.com/mercury/news/chicago_sky_130527.html |access-date=December 4, 2013 |archive-date=June 13, 2013 }}</ref> She was a dominant defensive force in the league over the season, averaging 3.0 blocks per game. 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]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/wnba/2013/07/25/brittney-griner-injury-all-star-game-phoenix-mercury/2587293/ |title=Brittney Griner out of WNBA All-Star Game with injury|website=USA Today |date=July 25, 2013 |access-date=December 8, 2022 |agency=Associated Press }}</ref>

In April 2013, [[Dallas Mavericks]] owner [[Mark Cuban]] said he would consider drafting Griner to the [[National Basketball Association|NBA]], and Griner expressed interest in the opportunity, but no offer to try out was extended by the team.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/3029791/ |first=Doug |last=Feinberg |title=Brittney Griner NBA Tryout? Baylor Star Open To Mavericks Owner's Offer |work=HuffPost |date=April 6, 2013 |access-date=April 11, 2014 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140409015253/http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/3029791/ |archive-date=April 9, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

====2014====
In the 2014 season, Griner's stats would improve, as she averaged 15.6 points per game, 8.0 rebounds per game and 3.7 blocks per game. On June 29, 2014, Griner had set a WNBA record with 11 blocks in a regular season game win against the [[Tulsa Shock]], along with 21 points and 8 rebounds.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/13681740/phoenix-mercury-rout-tulsa-shock-brittney-griner-11-blocks|title=Mercury rout Shock behind Griner's block party |first=Michelle |last=Smith |access-date=December 8, 2022 |date=September 18, 2015 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref> On August 24, 2014, Griner became the first WNBA player to dunk in a playoff game when she helped the Mercury defeat the Los Angeles Sparks, 93–68, at Staples Center.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/08/watch-brittney-griner-slam-down-the-first-dunk-in-wnba-playoff-history |work=USA Today |first=Nina |last=Mandell |date=August 25, 2014 |access-date=December 8, 2022 |title=Watch Brittney Griner slam down the first dunk in WNBA playoff history}}</ref>

The 2014 season would be a historic season for the Mercury with the combination of Brittney Griner, [[Diana Taurasi]] and [[Candice Dupree]] as the dominant Big 3 to carry the team plus the arrival of new head coach [[Sandy Brondello]], the Mercury finished 29–5, setting the WNBA record for most wins in a regular season. They made it all the way to the WNBA finals and swept the [[Chicago Sky]] 3 games to 0, to capture the Mercury's third championship in franchise history.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/ct-sky-mercury-wnba-game-spt-0913-20140913-column.html |title=Diana Taurasi and Mercury sweep to WNBA title over Sky |first=Philip |last=Hersh |newspaper=The Chicago Tribune |date=September 12, 2014|access-date=September 13, 2014}}</ref> During the series, Griner set WNBA finals records in game 1 for most blocks in a game (8) and most blocks in a quarter (5).

====2015====
In the 2015 season, despite missing the first seven games due to a suspension stemming from her domestic violence case, Griner would have the most prolific defensive season in WNBA history, averaging a career high and WNBA record 4.0 blocks per game, surpassing Margo Dydek's record back in the 1998 season. 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. 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/09/brittney-griner-had-a-record-setting-11-blocks-in-the-opening-game-of-the-wnba-playoffs |first=Nina |last=Manell |work=USA Today |title=Brittney Griner had a record-setting 11 blocks in the opening game of the WNBA playoffs |date=September 18, 2015 |access-date=December 8, 2022 }}</ref> The Mercury advanced to the second round where they were swept by the [[Minnesota Lynx]] who won the championship that year.

====2016====
In the 2016 season, with the return of Diana Taurasi, the Mercury had a more successful playoff run. 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 16–18. 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.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.wnba.com/news/griners-triple-double-helps-mercury-beat-dream-95-87/ |title=Griner's Triple-Double Helps Mercury Beat Dream 95–87 |date=July 4, 2016 |work=Women's National Basketball Association |agency=[[Associated Press]] |location=Atlanta |publication-place=New York City |access-date=March 7, 2022}}</ref> With the WNBA's new playoff format in effect, the Mercury were the number 8 seed in the league as they faced the [[Indiana Fever]] in the first round.

The Mercury upset the Fever in the first round elimination game, as Griner had 18 points, 8 rebounds and 3 blocks. 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. 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 3–0.

====2017====
[[File:Brittney Griner.jpg|thumb|Griner performing a layup in 2017]]On March 12, 2017, Griner re-signed with the Mercury to a multi-year deal once her rookie contract expired.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/18895353/brittney-griner-signs-new-deal-phoenix-mercury |title=Griner signs new multiyear deal with Mercury |work=ESPN.com |date=March 13, 2017 |access-date=March 14, 2017}}</ref> In 2017, Griner would have the best season of her career thus far. On June 7, 2017, Griner scored a career-high 38 points along with 9 rebounds in a 98–90 overtime win against the [[Indiana Fever]].<ref>{{cite web |work=excellesports.com |url=http://www.excellesports.com/news/brittney-griner-mercury-career-points/ |title=Brittney Griner scores career-high 38 points to lift Mercury to win over Fever |access-date=September 9, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170910040017/http://www.excellesports.com/news/brittney-griner-mercury-career-points/ |archive-date=September 10, 2017 |url-status=dead |first=Nick |last=Forrester |date=June 8, 2017 }}</ref> Griner would miss 8 games of the season and the [[2017 WNBA All-Star Game]] due to an ankle and knee injury (replaced by [[Rebekkah Brunson]]), but finished off the season leading the league in scoring with 21.9 points per game and also led the league in blocks for the fifth consecutive season.

The Mercury finished with an 18–16 record as the number 5 seed. In the first round elimination game, the Mercury defeated the [[Seattle Storm]] 79–69, advancing to the second round. Griner scored 23 points along with 11 rebounds and 3 blocks in the win. In the second round elimination game, the Mercury defeated the [[Connecticut Sun]] 88–83 and advanced to the semi-finals. Griner scored 26 points along with 9 rebounds in the win. In the semi-finals, the Mercury were eliminated by the [[Los Angeles Sparks]] in a 3-game sweep.

====2018====
[[File:Bonner-Lyttle-Griner-Augustus-20180601.jpg|thumb|alt=Very tall woman with arms raised, young woman passing the ball forward under strain, surrounded by players|Griner and the Mercury guarding [[Seimone Augustus]] of the [[Minnesota Lynx]] in 2018]]In 2018, Griner played all 34 games for the third time in her career. She was voted into the [[2018 WNBA All-Star Game]], making it her fifth all-star game appearance. On August 18, 2018, Griner scored a season-high 33 points along with 18 rebounds and 7 blocks in a 104–95 victory over the Atlanta Dream.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://apnews.com/article/efd1227831db4859b363602d9355d658|title=Griner, Taurasi lead Mercury over Dream 104–95|date=August 18, 2018|website=[[Associated Press]] |access-date=December 8, 2022 }}</ref> This season was also her first season shooting from beyond the arc. Griner also led the league in blocks for the sixth consecutive year. The Mercury finished off the season 20–14 with the number 5 seed in the league.

In the first round elimination game, the Mercury defeated the Dallas Wings 101–83. Griner scored 17 points in the win. In the second round elimination game, the Mercury defeated the Connecticut Sun 96–86, advancing to the semi-finals for the third year in a row, they would face off against the Seattle Storm. Down 2–0, the Mercury came back to tie up the series 2–2. In game 5, the Mercury lost 94–84, ending their season.

====2019====
In 2019, Griner would be voted into the [[2019 WNBA All-Star Game]], making it her sixth career all-star game appearance. On August 25, 2019, Griner scored a season-high 34 points in a 94–86 loss to the [[Chicago Sky]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/recap?gameId=401105084|title=Sky pull away late to beat Mercury 94–86|date=August 25, 2019|publisher=ESPN|agency=Associated Press|location=[[Phoenix, Arizona]]|publication-place=[[Bristol, Connecticut]]|access-date=March 7, 2022}}</ref> By the end of the season, Griner led the league in the scoring for the second time in her career and would continue to lead the league in blocks for the seventh straight season. The Mercury finished with a 15–19 record and the number 8 seed and were eliminated 105–76 by the [[Chicago Sky]] in the first round elimination game. Griner left in the second half of the game with a knee injury.

====2020====
The 2020 season was delayed and shortened to 22 games in a bubble at [[IMG Academy]] due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic in North America|COVID-19 pandemic]]. After 12 games played, Griner left the bubble for undisclosed personal reasons.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2905869-mercurys-brittney-griner-leaves-wnba-bubble-for-personal-reasons|title=Mercury's Brittney Griner Leaves WNBA Bubble for Personal Reasons|first=Adam|last=Wells|website=Bleacher Report |date=August 23, 2020 |access-date=December 8, 2022 }}</ref> Without Griner, the Mercury finished 13–9 as the number 5 seed. They would make it as far as the second round where they lost to the [[Minnesota Lynx]] in the elimination game.

====2021====
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.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Thames |first1=Alanis |last2=Abrams |first2=Jonathan |date=March 8, 2022 |title=Brittney Griner's Impact Is Clear as W.N.B.A. Fans Await Word From Russia |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/08/sports/basketball/brittney-griner-wnba-russia.html |access-date=December 14, 2022 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Brittney Griner Stats, News, Bio & Games |url=https://www.wnba.com/player/brittney-griner/ |access-date=December 14, 2022 |website=WNBA.com - Official Site of the WNBA}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2021 Phoenix Mercury Stats |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/teams/PHO/2021.html |access-date=December 14, 2022 |website=Basketball-Reference.com}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2021 WNBA Finals |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/playoffs/2021-FIN-CHI-PHO.html |access-date=December 14, 2022 |website=Basketball-Reference.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2021 New York Liberty Stats |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/teams/NYL/2021.html |access-date=December 14, 2022 |website=Basketball-Reference.com }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2021 Seattle Storm Stats |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/teams/SEA/2021.html |access-date=December 14, 2022 |website=Basketball-Reference.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2021 Las Vegas Aces Stats |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/teams/LVA/2021.html |access-date=December 14, 2022 |website=Basketball-Reference.com }}</ref>

====2023====
Griner missed the entire 2022 season because she was incarcerated on drug charges in Russia. She was released in December as part of [[Viktor Bout–Brittney Griner prisoner exchange|a prisoner swap between the United States and Russia]].

In 2023 Griner performed well, and was named a starter in the [[2023 WNBA All-Star Game]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/37913933/brittney-griner-aliyah-boston-named-wnba-all-star-starters | title=Griner, Boston named WNBA All-Star starters | date=June 25, 2023 }}</ref> The Mercury finished in last place with a 9-31 record. She appeared in 31 of the team's 40 games, averaging 17.5 points per game and 6.3 rebounds per game.

====2025====
It was reported on January 28th, 2025 that Griner would be signing a 1 year deal with the [[Atlanta Dream]] in the free agency off season.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-01-29 |title=Sources: Griner agrees to 1-year deal with Dream |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/43603843/sources-brittney-griner-agrees-1-year-deal-dream |access-date=2025-01-29 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref>
===Overseas===
Griner has played overseas in the WNBA off-season.<ref>{{cite news |first=Cork |last=Gaines |date=April 21, 2014 |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/brittney-griner-basketball-china-2014-4 |title = Brittney Griner Makes 12 Times as Much Money Playing Basketball in China |website=[[Business Insider]] |access-date=December 8, 2022 }}</ref> In the 2013–14 off-season, she played in China for the [[Zhejiang Golden Bulls]] of the [[Women's Chinese Basketball Association|WCBA]] where she signed a four-month contract for $600,000, which was 12 times the amount she made in her rookie season with the Mercury.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/dish/201404/brittney-griner-made-12-times-more-playing-china-us |title=Brittney Griner Makes 12 Times More Playing In China Than In The United States |date=April 21, 2014 |website=ThePostGame.com |access-date=December 8, 2022 }}</ref> She was named as the MVP of the 2014 WCBA All-Star Game.<ref>{{cite web |title=CHN/USA - Griner dunk-fest lights up WCBA All-Star game |url=https://www.fiba.basketball/world/women/2014/news/CHN-USA-Griner-dunk-fest-lights-up-WCBA-All-Star-game |website=FIBA|date=February 11, 2014}}</ref> In the 2014–15 off-season, she played in China for the [[Beijing Great Wall]] of the WCBA. Beijing Great Wall finished the season as the runner-up in the playoff.<ref>{{cite web |title=Brittney Griner was ready to 'fight' knife-wielding maniac |url=https://nypost.com/2014/11/05/brittney-griner-was-ready-to-fight-knife-wielding-maniac/ |website=New York Post |publisher=Associated Press|date=November 5, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=WCBA总决赛-摩尔35+16+4 山西3-1北京实现3连冠 |url=http://sports.ifeng.com/a/20150305/43278690_0.shtml |website=Ifeng Sports|language=zh|date=March 5, 2015}}</ref>

In the 2014–15 and 2015–16 off-seasons, Griner played in Russia for [[UMMC Ekaterinburg]] with teammate Diana Taurasi, winning back-to-back championships.<ref name=overseas>{{cite web|url=https://www.wnba.com/wnba-players-playing-overseas/ |access-date=December 8, 2022 |work=WNBA.com |title = WNBA Players Playing Overseas |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151109061648/https://www.wnba.com/wnba-players-playing-overseas/ |archive-date=November 9, 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=May 5, 2016 |url=https://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/page/espnw-russia160505/brittney-griner-diana-taurasi-opted-play-russia-money-escape-spotlight |title=Why are these WNBA stars in Russia? It's not just about the money |website=ESPN.com |access-date=December 8, 2022 }}</ref>

In August 2016, Griner re-signed with UMMC Ekaterinburg for the 2016–17 off-season.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.womensbasketball247.com/2016/08/2016-2017-wnba-overseas-signings/ |title=2016–2017 WNBA Overseas Signings |access-date=October 31, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170930125329/http://www.womensbasketball247.com/2016/08/2016-2017-wnba-overseas-signings/ |archive-date=September 30, 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2017, she re-signed once again with UMMC Ekaterinburg for the 2017–18 off-season,<ref name=overseas/> and in 2018, she returned to UMMC Ekaterinburg for a fifth stint in the 2018–19 off-season.

===Unrivaled===
On October 2, 2024, it was announced that Griner would appear and play in the inaugural season of [[Unrivaled (basketball league)|Unrivaled]], the women's 3-on-3 basketball league founded by [[Napheesa Collier]] and [[Breanna Stewart]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Maloney |first=Jack |date=January 17, 2025 |title=Unrivaled basketball league: Full rosters, list of players participating, teams, head coaches, 'wildcards' |url=https://www.cbssports.com/general/news/unrivaled-basketball-league-full-rosters-list-of-players-participating-teams-head-coaches-wildcards/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250119013237/https://www.cbssports.com/general/news/unrivaled-basketball-league-full-rosters-list-of-players-participating-teams-head-coaches-wildcards/amp/ |archive-date=January 19, 2025 |access-date=2025-03-15 |website=CBS Sports}}</ref> She plays for [[Phantom BC|Phantom]]. On March 3rd, Griner recorded the first dunk in Unrivaled history.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-03-04 |title=Brittney Griner Notes 'Historic Moment' of Unrivaled Dunk to WNBA Legend Lisa Leslie |url=https://www.si.com/onsi/womens-fastbreak/news/brittney-griner-notes-historic-moment-of-unrivaled-dunk-to-wnba-legend-lisa-leslie-01jnfp4gbstj |access-date=2025-03-19 |website=Women's Fastbreak On SI |language=en-US}}</ref>

==National team career==
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. Griner was the only college player in the group.<ref name="usab player page"/> She averaged 12.8 points and 7.3 rebounds a game with the U.S. team in Europe.<ref name="usatoday" />

Griner was the sole player still playing in college on the 2012 U.S. Olympic women's basketball team finalists roster.<ref name="Olympic Roster finalists"/> Excluding Griner, the average age on the finalists roster was approximately 30 years, while Griner was 22 years old at the time of the Olympics. Griner decided in April 2012 not to participate in the 2012 Olympics due to family illness and her school schedule.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.usabasketball.com/womens/national/roster.html |title=2012 U.S. Olympic Women's Basketball Team Roster |publisher=USA Basketball |date=April 23, 2012 |access-date=March 24, 2013 |archive-date=March 6, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130306123405/http://www.usabasketball.com/womens/national/roster.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2016, she played for the U.S. Olympic women's basketball team at the [[Basketball at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament|Summer Olympics]] and earned her first Olympic gold medal as they beat Spain 101–72 in the final, becoming one of 11 players who have earned an Olympic gold medal, FIBA World Cup gold medal, WNBA title, an NCAA title, joining [[Sue Bird]], [[Swin Cash]], [[Tamika Catchings]], [[Cynthia Cooper-Dyke|Cynthia Cooper]], [[Asjha Jones]], [[Maya Moore]], [[Breanna Stewart]], [[Sheryl Swoopes]], [[Diana Taurasi]], and [[Kara Wolters]] on the list.<ref name="usab player page">{{cite web |title=Brittney Griner |url=https://www.usab.com/basketball/players/womens/g/griner-brittney.aspx |website=USA Basketball |access-date=December 10, 2019 |date=October 10, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220527163158/https://www.usab.com/basketball/players/womens/g/griner-brittney.aspx |archive-date=May 27, 2022 }}</ref>

Griner was selected for her [[Basketball at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament|second Olympics in 2021]],<ref>{{cite web|last=Connors|first=Kaylee|date=June 21, 2021|title=Mercury trio named to Olympic roster|url=https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2021/06/21/on-to-tokyo-phoenix-mercury-big-three-named-to-team-usa-olympic-roster/|access-date=June 22, 2021|website=Cronkite News – Arizona PBS|language=en-US}}</ref> going undefeated and winning the gold medal as part of Team USA.<ref name=Olympics/>

In June 2024, Griner was again named to the [[United States women's national basketball team|US women's Olympic team]] to compete at the [[Basketball at the 2024 Summer Olympics|2024 Summer Olympics]] in [[France]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Cydney |last=Henderson |title=USA basketball Olympic women's team roster: Who made the cut for Paris Olympics |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2024/06/17/usa-womens-basketball-roster-paris-olympics/74066385007/ |work=[[USA Today]] |date=June 17, 2024|access-date=July 6, 2024}}</ref> She contributed four points<ref>{{cite news |first=Arhaan |last=Raje |title=Team USA vs France Player Stats, Box Scores and Result for 2024 Paris Olympics Women's Basketball |url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/us/wnba/news-team-usa-vs-france-player-stats-box-scores-result-2024-paris-olympics-women-s-basketball-august-11 |work=sportskeeda |date=Aug 11, 2024|access-date=Aug 12, 2024}}</ref> to help the United States defeat [[France women's national basketball team|France]] 67–66 in the [[Basketball at the 2024 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament#Gold medal game|final]], earning Griner her third consecutive Olympic gold medal and the United States' eighth consecutive gold medal.<ref>{{cite news |first=Juana |last=Summers |title=U.S. women's basketball team defeats France to win eighth straight Olympic gold medal |url=https://www.npr.org/2024/08/11/g-s1-16527/us-womens-basketball-gold-france-paris-olympics |work=NPR |date=August 11, 2024 |access-date=August 11, 2024}}</ref> During the medal ceremony when the U.S. national anthem was played, Griner would get emotional at the event, thinking she wouldn't even be here again following her previous arrest in Russia back in 2022.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://apnews.com/article/2024-olympics-paris-griner-basketball-6f1ebd9be594591a4c397f8c6c7c8424 |title=Brittney Griner lets tears flow during national anthem after U.S. women win gold|date=August 11, 2024|website=AP News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2024/08/12/brittney-griner-paris-olympics-emotional-gold-medal/74770974007/ |title='I didn't think I'd be here': Mercury's Brittney Griner celebrates an emotional gold medal|first=Jenna|last=Ortiz|website=USA TODAY}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/40823442/brittney-griner-cherishes-3rd-gold-aftermath-russia-arrest |title=Griner: Gold 'means so much' after Russia ordeal|date=August 11, 2024|website=ESPN.com}}</ref>

==Honors==
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,<ref name=yol/> and was selected by the [[Women's Basketball Coaches Association]] as the 2009 [[State Farm]]/[[Women's Basketball Coaches Association|WBCA]] High School Player of the Year.<ref name="yol">{{cite news |first=Yolande |last=Lezine |url=http://blackathlete.net/artman2/publish/Women_s_Basketball_37/Another_Honor_For_Brittney.shtml |title=Another Honor For Brittney |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090312001711/http://blackathlete.net/artman2/publish/Women_s_Basketball_37/Another_Honor_For_Brittney.shtml |archive-date=March 12, 2009 |date=February 17, 2009 |url-status=usurped |access-date=March 2, 2009 }}</ref> Griner also won the 2013 [[ESPY Award]] for best female college athlete. She was the 2012 winner of the [[Honda Sports Award (basketball)|Honda Sports Award]] for basketball<ref name="Past Winners - basketball"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://baylorbears.com/news/2012/4/19/Griner_Receives_Honda_Sports_Award_for_WBB.aspx |date=April 19, 2012 |title=Griner Receives Honda Sports Award for WBB|website=Baylor University Athletics|language=en|access-date=March 29, 2020}}</ref> and the overall [[Honda-Broderick Cup]] winner for all sports.<ref name="Honda Cup past winners"/>

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".<ref name="Wade Trophy"/> She was the winner of the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award, in 2012, and again in 2013.<ref>{{cite web |title=Griner Wins Wade Trophy and WBCA Defensive POY |url=https://baylorbears.com/news/2013/4/8/Griner_Wins_Wade_Trophy_and_WBCA_Defensive_POY |website=Baylor Bears.com |date=April 8, 2013 |access-date=May 21, 2025}}</ref> The award is given by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association to the nation's top Division I women's player.<ref name="USBWA awards"/>

Among other accolades, Griner is credited with bringing the women's game more attention due to her ability to dunk.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://image.aausports.org/dnn/Sullivan/2013/Brittney-Griner-bio.pdf |year=2013 |title=Brittney Griner AAU Biography |website=AAU Sports}}</ref> She holds the NCAA record for dunks in a career with 18 total dunks.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://baylorbears.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/brittney-griner/3266 |title=#42 Brittney Griner |website=Baylor University Athletics |language=en |access-date=March 7, 2019}}</ref> She passed Candace Parker as the all-time NCAA women's dunks leader.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/story/_/id/8646986/ |title=Griner sets NCAA women's mark with 8th dunk |date=November 18, 2012 |website=ESPN |agency=[[Associated Press]] |language=en |access-date=March 7, 2019}}</ref>

* 2009—WBCA High School Coaches' All-America Team<ref name="WBCA HS AA"/>
* 2011—[[WBCA Defensive Player of the Year|WBCA NCAA Division I Defensive Player of the Year]]<ref name="Defensive POY"/>
* 2012—WBCA NCAA Division I Defensive Player of the Year<ref name="Defensive POY"/>
* 2013—WBCA NCAA Division I Defensive Player of the Year<ref name="Defensive POY"/>
* 2014—FIBA World Championship All-Star Five<ref name="All Star FIBA 2014"/>

In 2014, Griner was included as part of [[The Advocate (LGBT magazine)|''The Advocate''{{'}}s]] annual "40 under 40" list.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.advocate.com/40-under-40-emerging-voices/2014/07/29/40-under-40-brittney-griner-wants-our-kids-feel-hope |title=40 Under 40: Brittney Griner Wants Our Kids to Feel Hope |work=[[The Advocate (LGBT magazine)|The Advocate]] |first=Michelle |last=Garcia |date=July 29, 2014 |access-date=December 18, 2014}}</ref>

The WNBA included Griner in [[The W25]], a list of the best players of the league's first 25 years.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://www.wnba.com/news/wnba-continues-celebration-of-landmark-25th-season-names-greatest-players-in-league-history-the-w25/ |title=WNBA Continues Celebration Of Landmark 25th Season, Names Greatest Players In League History, "The W25" |publisher=WNBA |date=September 5, 2021 |accessdate=October 18, 2021}}</ref>

She was also named one of ESPNW's Impact 25 in 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://espn.go.com/espnw/news-commentary/impact25/slideshow/12020053/2/brittney-griner-24-phoenix-mercury-center-wnba-all-star |title=2014 ESPNW Impact 25 |work=ESPNW |date=December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141216171326/http://espn.go.com/espnw/news-commentary/impact25/slideshow/12020053/2/brittney-griner-24-phoenix-mercury-center-wnba-all-star |access-date=December 18, 2014|archive-date=December 16, 2014 }}</ref>

In February 2024, Baylor University retired Griner's No. 42 jersey in a ceremony preceding a game versus Texas Tech.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-02-18 |title=Brittney Griner's No. 42 jersey retired by Baylor in her 1st game on campus since she played |url=https://apnews.com/article/britney-griner-jersey-retired-baylor-e0ecfe23ff2ab29f096e0896918ec0db |access-date=2024-05-04 |website=AP News |language=en}}</ref>

==Personal life and activism==
In an interview with [[Sports Illustrated|SI.com]] on February 11, 2013, Griner publicly [[came out]] as a lesbian.<ref name="SI.com Delle Donne Diggins">{{cite news |last=Feinberg |first=Doug |title=Griner, Delle Donne and Diggins dealt with bullies |url=http://sports.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/wnba/story.asp?i=20130418033644189929408 |access-date=April 18, 2013 |newspaper=[[Sports Illustrated]] |date=April 18, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130418202243/http://sports.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/wnba/story.asp?i=20130418033644189929408 |archive-date=April 18, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> She also revealed in the interview that she was bullied as a child, explaining, "It's hard. Just being picked on for being different. Just being bigger, my sexuality, everything." She said she is very passionate about working with children in order to bring attention to the issue of bullying, particularly against [[LGBT]] people.<ref name="SI.com Delle Donne Diggins" /> Griner had previously come out to her parents in high school, which her father did not accept gracefully, forcing her to live with an assistant coach for six weeks during her senior year.<ref name="Chron-140404">{{cite news |author=Galehouse, Maggie |date=April 4, 2014 |title=Brittney Griner: independent at last |newspaper=Houston Chronicle |url=http://www.houstonchronicle.com/entertainment/books/article/Brittney-Griner-independent-at-last-5377661.php |access-date=June 16, 2017}}</ref> She later wrote a memoir with Sue Hovey addressing bullying and self-acceptance, ''In My Skin: My Life On and Off the Basketball Court'', published in 2014.<ref name="Chron-140404" /><ref>{{cite book |author1=Griner, Brittney |url=https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062309341/in-my-skin |title=In My Skin: My Life On and Off the Basketball Court |author2=Hovey, Sue |date=April 8, 2014 |publisher=Dey Street Books (HarperCollins) |isbn=9780062309341 |access-date=June 16, 2017}}</ref>

In a 2019 interview with ''[[People (magazine)|People]]'', Griner stated, "People tell me I'm going to break the barrier and trailblaze. I just kind of look at it like, I'm just trying to help out, I'm just trying to make it not as tough for the next generation."<ref>{{cite web |first=Jeff |last=Truesdell |date=May 16, 2014 |url=https://people.com/sports/wnbas-brittney-griner-on-being-a-gay-athlete-i-felt-like-half-of-me-wasnt-accepted/|title=WNBA's Brittney Griner on Being a Gay Athlete: I Felt Like Half of Me Wasn't Accepted |website=[[People (magazine)|People]] |language=en |access-date=March 8, 2019}}</ref> In 2013, Griner was featured on the cover of ''[[ESPN Magazine]]''. She appeared in "The Taboo Issue"''.''<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://ftw.usatoday.com/2013/05/brittney-griner-poses-with-giant-reptile-on-espn-magazine-cover |title=Brittney Griner poses with giant reptile on 'ESPN Magazine' cover |work=[[USA Today]] |date=May 29, 2013 |first=Scott |last=Gleeson |access-date=December 9, 2022 }}</ref> She is pictured holding a snake, which is her favorite animal because they are "misunderstood".<ref name="Owning The Middle">{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/9316697/owning-middle |first=Kate |last=Fagan |date=May 29, 2013 |title=Owning The Middle |website=ESPN Magazine |access-date=March 8, 2019}}</ref> She says, "You just have to look at it in a different way."<ref name="Owning The Middle"/>

Her endorsement deal with [[Nike, Inc.|Nike]] was the first time the company had signed such a deal with an [[Gay athlete|openly gay athlete]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/01/books/review/in-my-skin-by-brittney-griner.html |title=Life Out Loud: 'In My Skin,' by Brittney Griner |last=Longman |first=Jeré |date=May 30, 2014 |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=June 16, 2017}}</ref> Griner continues to push back on traditional gender roles as she regularly models clothes branded as "menswear" for Nike.<ref name="Owning The Middle"/> Nike spokesman Brian Strong said of signing Griner, "We can't get into specifics, but it's safe to say we jumped at the opportunity to work with her because she breaks the mold."<ref name="Owning The Middle"/>

In 2020, Griner, along with teammate [[Brianna Turner]], called for the WNBA to stop playing the [[The Star-Spangled Banner|United States national anthem]] before the games. She made her remarks after Mercury players refused to take the floor during a pre-season game in [[Bradenton, Florida]]. Griner said she was protesting the [[killing of Breonna Taylor]] as part of the wider [[George Floyd protests]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Metcalfe|first=Jeff|date=July 27, 2020|title=Phoenix Mercury's Brittney Griner will not be on court for National Anthem this season|url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/wnba/mercury/2020/07/27/mercurys-brittney-griner-will-not-be-on-court-for-national-anthem-this-season/5518399002/ |work=[[The Arizona Republic]] |access-date=March 8, 2022}}</ref> 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."<ref>{{cite news |first=Ken |last=Schultz |access-date=December 9, 2022 |url=https://www.outsports.com/2020/7/29/21346824/brittney-griner-national-anthem-breonna-taylor-police-brutality-protest-wnba |title=Brittney Griner says she will protest during the national anthem all season |website=outsports.com |date=July 29, 2020 }}</ref> She said she does not believe that the national anthem should be played at sporting events.<ref>{{cite news |first=Ryan |last=Gaydos |access-date=December 9, 2022 |url=https://www.foxnews.com/sports/wnba-players-call-league-stop-playing-national-anthem-before-games |title=WNBA players call on league to stop playing national anthem before games |date=July 28, 2020 |newspaper=Fox News}}</ref>

Since her release from detention in Russia in December 2022, Griner has championed the return of others detained in foreign countries;<ref>Radde, Kaitlyn. [https://www.npr.org/2023/04/02/1167656541/wall-street-journal-reporter-detained-russia-evan-gershkovich-brittney-griner "Brittney Griner calls for the release of an American reporter detained in Russia"], NPR, April 2, 2023</ref> she has also stated her experiences of being detained in a Russian jail have led her to appreciate the "uniquely American freedoms" citizens of her country take for granted or overlook. As such, she resumed standing for the national anthem beginning with the 2023 season.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Cash |first1=Meredith |title=Brittney Griner is Standing for the National Anthem and the 'Uniquely American Freedoms' it Represents During the WNBA Season |url=https://africa.businessinsider.com/sports/brittney-griner-is-standing-for-the-national-anthem-and-the-uniquely-american/tsf5jyk |access-date=May 21, 2023 |work=Business Insider |date=May 28, 2023}}</ref>

On February 17, 2025, Griner cancelled a speaking engagement for a cannabis leadership summit at the [[Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center]] in [[National Harbor, Maryland]], after a piece of duct tape with the words "Gay Baby Jail" written on it was found near her hotel room, which she perceived to be a threat. According to detectives at the [[Prince George's County Police Department]], the words "Gay Baby Jail" was an apparent video game reference, and may have been connected to a large anime and video game convention that had recently taken place at the event center.<ref>{{cite news | last=Torres | first=Matthew | title=Brittney Griner backs out of Maryland summit after ominous message appears in hotel room | date=February 18, 2025 | url=https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/brittney-griner-cancels-cannabis-leadership-summit-appearance-over-message-found-in-hotel-room/65-1790642c-03f7-4233-9083-47a8bcc741b6 | work=wcnc.com }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last=Lenthang | first=Marlene | title=Brittney Griner pulls out of speaking engagement over 'Gay Baby Jail' note found in hotel room | date=February 19, 2025 | url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/brittney-griner-cancels-speaking-engagement-gay-baby-jail-note-found-h-rcna192840 | work=nbcnews.com }}</ref>

=== Previous marriage and disorderly conduct case ===
On August 14, 2014, Griner got engaged to fellow WNBA player [[Glory Johnson]].<ref name="HuffEng">{{cite news | url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/15/brittney-griner-proposal_n_5682792.html | title=Brittney Griner Proposes To Girlfriend Glory Johnson | date=August 15, 2014 | agency=Huffington Post | access-date=August 15, 2014 | author=Nichols, James}}</ref><ref name="BleacherReport">{{cite news | url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2164749-wnbas-brittney-griner-gets-engaged-to-former-vols-star-glory-johnson | title=WNBA's Brittney Griner Gets Engaged to Former Tennessee Vols Star Glory Johnson | work=[[Bleacher Report]] | date=August 15, 2014 | access-date=August 15, 2014 | author=Silver, Jake}}</ref> 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]]. Both had sustained minor injuries.<ref>{{cite news |first=Stanley |last=Kay |title=WNBA star Brittney Griner arrested on assault and disorderly conduct|url=https://www.si.com/wnba/2015/04/23/brittney-griner-phoenix-mercury-arrested|access-date=April 23, 2015 |agency=[[Sports Illustrated]]|date=April 23, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/wnba/mercury/2015/04/23/phoenix-mercury-brittney-griner-arrested-assault-charge-abrk/26233395/ |title=Mercury's Brittney Griner arrested on assault allegations |work=[[The Arizona Republic]] |date=April 23, 2015 |access-date=July 28, 2015}}</ref> Despite this incident, they married the following month on May 8, 2015, in Phoenix.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.knoxnews.com/govolsxtra/other-sports/former-lady-vol-glory-johnson-wnba-star-brittney-griner-wed-on-phoenix-mountaintop |title=Former Lady Vol Glory Johnson, WNBA Star Brittney Griner wed on Phoenix mountaintop |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150512035723/http://www.knoxnews.com/govolsxtra/other-sports/former-lady-vol-glory-johnson-wnba-star-brittney-griner-wed-on-phoenix-mountaintop |work=[[Knoxville News Sentinel]] |archive-date=May 12, 2015 |access-date=May 9, 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/brittney-griner-marries-fellow-wnba-star-glory-johnson-201595/ |first=Stephanie |last=Webber |date=May 9, 2015 |title=WNBA Wedding! Brittney Griner Marries Glory Johnson |work=[[Us Weekly]] |access-date=March 10, 2017}}</ref> On May 15, 2015, the WNBA suspended Griner and Johnson for seven games each after Griner pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct charges. Griner was also required to complete 26 weeks of domestic violence counseling.<ref>{{cite news|title=Brittney Griner and Glory Johnson Suspended 7 Games in Domestic Violence Case|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/16/sports/basketball/wnba-suspends-brittney-griner-and-glory-johnson-in-domestic-violence-case.html |access-date=May 15, 2015|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|author=Mather, Victor|date=May 15, 2015}}</ref>

On June 4, 2015, Griner and Johnson revealed that Johnson was pregnant with twins,<ref>{{cite web |date=June 4, 2015 |title=Brittney Griner and Glory Johnson Expecting First Child |first=Jeff |last=Truesdell |url=http://celebritybabies.people.com/2015/06/04/glory-johnson-pregnant-expecting-first-child-brittney-griner/ |access-date=September 2, 2015 |work=[[People (magazine)|People]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150605095609/http://celebritybabies.people.com/2015/06/04/glory-johnson-pregnant-expecting-first-child-brittney-griner/ |archive-date=June 5, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> conceived with Johnson's eggs through [[in vitro fertilization]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.eonline.com/news/666775/glory-johnson-really-saddened-by-brittney-griner-split-amid-pregnancy-clears-up-fertility-rumors |title=Glory Johnson "Really Saddened" by Brittney Griner Split Amid Pregnancy, Clears Up Fertility Rumors |last=Toomey |first=Alyssa |date=June 15, 2015 |website=[[E! News]] |access-date=March 7, 2022}}</ref> The following day, and after less than a month of marriage, Griner filed for an annulment of the marriage citing fraud and duress;<ref name=annul_azcentral>{{cite web|author1=azcentral sports staff|title=Report: Mercury's Brittney Griner files for annulment|url=http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/heat-index/2015/06/05/report-phoenix-mercury-brittney-griner-files-for-annulment-glory-johnson/28571845/ |work=[[The Arizona Republic]] |access-date=June 6, 2015|ref=annul|date=June 6, 2015}}</ref> the annulment was denied.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Rayne|first=Naja|date=December 1, 2020|title=Glory Johnson Opens Up About Tumultuous Relationship and Sudden Split With Brittney Griner: 'I Trusted This Person'|url=https://people.com/parents/glory-johnson-opens-up-about-tumultuous-relationship-and-sudden-split/|magazine=People|access-date=March 6, 2022|quote=The judge on their case ultimately denied an annulment, leaving the two women to file for divorce.}}</ref> Johnson gave birth to twin girls on October 12, 2015, 16 weeks premature.<ref name=ESPN-160425/> Griner was ordered to pay child support to Johnson.<ref name=ESPN-160425>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.co.uk/wnba/story/_/id/15355152/brittney-griner-ordered-pay-child-support-glory-johnson |first=Mechelle |last=Voepel |title=Brittney Griner ordered to pay child support to Glory Johnson |date=April 25, 2016 |website=ESPN |access-date=March 6, 2022 |agency=Associated Press }}</ref> The couple's divorce was finalized in June 2016.<ref name=":1">{{cite web |last1=Ortiz|first1=Jenna|last2=Scott|first2=Dana|last3=Horos|first3=Emily |date=March 10, 2022 |title=Brittney Griner detained in Russia: What to know about WNBA star's life spent in spotlight |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/wnba/2022/03/10/brittney-griner-russia-detainment-wnba-star-life-spotlight/6986144001/ |access-date=March 11, 2022 |website=[[USA Today]] |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Marriage ===
Griner became engaged to Cherelle Watson in August 2018,<ref name=advocate-220306>{{cite magazine|last=Street|first=Mikelle|date=March 6, 2022|title=Brittney Griner's Wife, Cherelle, Posts 1st Statement on Detainment|url=https://www.advocate.com/news/2022/3/06/brittney-griner-wife-cherelle-watson-russia-detainment|magazine=[[The Advocate (LGBT magazine)|The Advocate]]|access-date=March 8, 2022}}</ref> and they married in June 2019.<ref name=":1" />

In 2024, Griner and her wife Cherelle announced a pregnancy.<ref name="baby 2024">{{cite web |last1=Cullinane |first1=Susannah |title=Brittney Griner and wife Cherelle expecting first child |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/14/us/brittney-griner-cherelle-baby/index.html |website=CNN |language=en |date=15 April 2024}}</ref> In July 2024, Cherelle gave birth to a boy, whom they named Bash.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-07-19 |title=Brittney Griner, Wife Welcome Baby Boy |url=https://www.tmz.com/2024/07/19/brittney-griner-wife-birth-son-wnba-all-star-mercury/ |access-date=2024-07-19 |website=TMZ |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Phelps |first=Chris |date=2024-07-19 |title=Brittney Griner Used One Word To Describe Playing For Team USA After Son's Birth |url=https://athlonsports.com/wnba/phoenix-mercury/brittney-griner-used-one-word-to-describe-playing-for-team-usa-after-sons-birth |access-date=2024-07-19 |website=Athlon Sports |language=en}}</ref>

==2022 arrest and imprisonment in Russia==
{{Main|Viktor Bout–Brittney Griner prisoner exchange}}

On February 17, 2022, Griner was arrested on drug smuggling charges in Russia. She was detained at [[Sheremetyevo International Airport]] after the [[Federal Customs Service of Russia|Federal Customs Service]] found she was carrying [[Vaporizer (inhalation device)|vaporizer]] cartridges containing less than a gram of hash oil. In Arizona, she had been prescribed [[Medical cannabis|medicinal cannabis]], which is illegal in Russia.<ref>{{cite news |first=Charles |last=Maynes |work=[[All Things Considered]] |publisher=[[NPR]] |url=https://www.npr.org/2022/08/04/1115758206/a-russian-court-has-sentenced-brittney-griner-to-9-years-in-prison-on-drug-charg |title=A Russian court has sentenced Brittney Griner to 9 years in prison on drug charges |date=August 4, 2022 |access-date=December 11, 2022 }}</ref><ref name=CannabisNYT>{{cite news |last1=Abrams |first1=Jonathan |last2=Ganguli |first2=Tania |title=Why Pros Like Brittney Griner Choose Cannabis for Their Pain |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/01/sports/basketball/brittney-griner-athletes-cannabis-marijuana.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220802121719/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/01/sports/basketball/brittney-griner-athletes-cannabis-marijuana.html|archive-date= August 2, 2022|access-date=August 4, 2022 |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=August 1, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Crowley |first1=Michael |last2=Abrams |first2=Jonathan |date=March 5, 2022 |title=Brittney Griner, Star W.N.B.A. Center, Is Detained in Russia |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/05/sports/basketball/russia-brittney-griner.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=March 5, 2022 |url-access=registration}}</ref><ref name="american_double_olympic_basketball_gold_medallist_arrested_2022">{{Cite news |last=Mackay |first=Duncan |date=March 6, 2022 |title=American double Olympic basketball gold medallist arrested on drugs charges in Moscow |work=[[Inside the Games|InsideTheGames.biz]] |url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1120148/us-olympic-gold-medallist-drugs-moscow |access-date=March 6, 2022}}</ref>

Some U.S. officials expressed concern that Russia may have been [[Hostage diplomacy|using Griner as leverage]] in response to the [[International sanctions during the Russian invasion of Ukraine|international sanctions]] imposed against Russia for its [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine|invasion of Ukraine]]. The former [[The Pentagon|Pentagon]] official [[Evelyn Farkas]] expressed concern that Griner could be used as a "high-profile hostage" by Russia.<ref name="auto">{{cite news |last=Eisenberg |first=Jeff |date=March 6, 2022 |title=Former Pentagon official: Russia could use WNBA star Brittney Griner as 'high-profile hostage' |url=https://nz.news.yahoo.com/former-pentagon-official-russia-could-use-brittney-griner-as-high-profile-hostage-010121886.html |url-status=live |work=[[Yahoo! News]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220306013050/https://nz.news.yahoo.com/former-pentagon-official-russia-could-use-brittney-griner-as-high-profile-hostage-010121886.html |access-date=March 6, 2022|archive-date=March 6, 2022 }}</ref><ref name="Guardian-220306">{{cite news |date=March 6, 2022 |title=Fears grow Russia could use US basketball star Brittney Griner as 'hostage' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/mar/06/brittney-griner-arrest-russia-drugs-charges-wnba-basketball-wnba-ukraine |work=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=March 8, 2022}}</ref> In May 2022, the U.S. State Department stated that they had determined Griner was being "wrongfully detained".<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Abrams |first1=Jonathan |last2=Crowley |first2=Michael |date=May 3, 2022 |title=U.S. Government Says Brittney Griner Was 'Wrongfully Detained' |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/03/sports/basketball/brittney-griner-detained-wnba.html |access-date=May 6, 2022 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> On May 15, 2022, it was reported that the United States and Russia would consider a prisoner swap, with Russia exchanging Griner for arms dealer [[Viktor Bout]], who had served 10 years of a 25-year federal prison sentence in the United States, on charges of conspiracy to kill [[American citizen]]s and officials, delivery of [[Surface-to-air missile|anti-aircraft missiles]], and providing aid to a terrorist organization.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Shoaib |first1=Alia |title=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 |url=https://www.insider.com/brittney-griner-prisoner-swap-russia-arms-trafficker-2022-5 |website=Insider |date=May 15, 2022|access-date=May 15, 2022}}</ref>

===Trial, sentencing, imprisonment, and release===
[[File:2022 NWSL Championship 88 - letter to Britney Griner.jpg|thumb|Fans at the 2022 [[NWSL Championship]] were invited to write letters to Griner.]]

On the second day of her trial, July 7, 2022, Griner pleaded guilty{{efn|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.<ref name="HoustonGuilty"/>}} but said she had no [[Intention (criminal law)|intent]] to break the law. Griner requested that she be allowed to give testimony to the court.<ref>{{cite news|last=Dixon|first=Robyn|date=July 7, 2022|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/07/07/russia-brittney-griner-trial-swap/|title=WNBA Star Brittney Griner Pleads Guilty to Drug Charge in Russian Court|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref><ref name="HoustonGuilty">{{cite news|title=Brittney Griner's guilty plea doesn't mean what you think it does. A legal expert explains.|first=Edward|last=McKinley|date=July 7, 2022|work=Houston Chronicle|url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/texas/article/Brittney-Griner-s-guilty-plea-doesn-t-mean-what-17290560.php|access-date=July 8, 2022}}</ref>

On August 4, 2022, the court found Griner guilty and sentenced her to nine years in prison and fined her 1 million [[Russian ruble|rubles]] (US$16,301), even though the standard sentence for possession of no more than 2 grams of hash oil is 15 days.<ref name=":2">{{cite news |first=Amanda |last=Macias |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2022/08/04/russian-court-finds-wnba-star-brittney-griner-guilty-on-drug-charges.html |title=WNBA star Brittney Griner sentenced to nine years in prison by Russian court |work=[[CNBC]] |date=August 4, 2022 |access-date=August 5, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Graziosi |first1=Graig |title=What is hashish oil and how did it land Brittney Griner in a Russian courtroom? |date=July 6, 2022 |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/hashish-oil-did-land-brittney-114041136.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAFB84SCkoRSJplumKLae6zaMJniMp2A8k-uaOidEkSjmo--g52tNQVixkmWDTHuvdcaNqwzVZsMtXz-lMA32rVEmGc_x27An2UFGwx76aRjo7duCQmNkdIIcdMpVPpwLTMCGlSDfwVGo9p0a7W9e9IvocFfNR6ry3Khq66S5ZqcA |publisher=Yahoo Sports |access-date=30 December 2022}}</ref> On November 17, Griner's lawyers said that she was transferred to [[Corrective colony No. 2, Mordovia|IK-2]], a female penal colony in the town of [[Yavas]] in the region of [[Mordovia]]<ref name=":3">{{cite web |access-date=December 10, 2022 |url=https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/exclusive-brittney-griner-taken-penal-colony-russias-mordovia-region-source-2022-11-17/ |first=Filipp |last=Lebedev |title=Exclusive: Brittney Griner taken to penal colony in Russia's Mordovia region|website=Reuters|date=November 17, 2022}}</ref> (previously, she had been held at an undisclosed location).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Reevell |first=Patrick |date=November 12, 2022 |title=What Brittney Griner faces in Russian prison camps |url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/brittney-griner-faces-russian-prison-camps/story?id=93080807 |access-date=November 12, 2022 |website=ABC News}}</ref>

Griner's family enlisted the help of [[Bring Our Families Home]] to appeal for her release.<ref name=":5" /> On December 8, 2022, she was released by Russia in a 1-for-1 prisoner swap for [[Viktor Bout]].<ref name=":4" /> At the same time as the exchange, Russia deported another American, Sarah Krivanek, detained for a domestic violence dispute.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://abc7.com/russian-imprisonment-american-imprisoned-california-woman-sarah-krivanek/12556746/|title=California woman back home after Russian imprisonment|date=December 11, 2022|website=ABC7 Los Angeles}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web| url=https://people.com/politics/sarah-krivanek-exclusive-interview-russian-imprisonment/|title='Forgotten' American Sarah Krivanek Tells Her Story as She and Brittney Griner Are Freed from Russian Prison|website=Peoplemag}}</ref>

==WNBA career statistics==
{{WNBA player statistics legend}}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|style="background:#afe6ba; width:3em;"|†
|Denotes season(s) in which Griner won a [[WNBA Finals|WNBA championship]]
|-
|style="background:#E0CEF2; width:1em"|{{double dagger}}
|WNBA record
|}
===Regular season===
{{WNBA player statistics start|caption=WNBA regular season statistics<ref>{{cite web |title=Brittney Griner WNBA Stats |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/players/g/grinebr01w.html |website=Basketball Reference}}</ref>}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2013 WNBA season|2013]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2013 Phoenix Mercury season|Phoenix]]
| 27 || 27 || 25.9 || .556 || — || .724 || 6.3 || 1.0 || 0.4 || style="background:#D3D3D3"|3.0° || '''1.7''' || 14.5
|-
|style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"| [[2014 WNBA season|2014]]<sup>†</sup>
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2014 Phoenix Mercury season|Phoenix]]
| '''34''' || '''34''' || 30.7 || '''.578''' || — || .802 || 8.0 || 1.6 || 0.6 || style="background:#D3D3D3"|3.7° || 1.9 || 15.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2015 WNBA season|2015]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2015 Phoenix Mercury season|Phoenix]]
| 26 || 26 || 30.7 || .565 || — || .773 || 8.1 || 1.3 || 0.3 || style="background:#E0CEF2;"|'''4.0'''{{double dagger}}  || 2.1 || 15.1
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2016 WNBA season|2016]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2016 Phoenix Mercury season|Phoenix]]
| '''34''' || '''34'''|| 29.2 || .548 || — || .831 || 6.5 || 1.0 || 0.3 || style="background:#D3D3D3"|3.1° || 2.0 || 14.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2017 WNBA season|2017]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2017 Phoenix Mercury season|Phoenix]]
| 26 || 26 || 31.5 || .577 || — || .812 || 7.6 || 1.9 || 0.6 || style="background:#D3D3D3"|2.5° || 2.4 || '''21.9'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2018 WNBA season|2018]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2018 Phoenix Mercury season|Phoenix]]
| '''34''' || '''34''' || 32.6 || .544 || .250 || .800 || 7.7 || 2.1 || 0.5 || style="background:#D3D3D3"|2.6° || 2.3 || 20.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2019 WNBA season|2019]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2019 Phoenix Mercury season|Phoenix]]
| 31 || 31 || '''32.8''' || .564 || .333 || .808 || 7.2 || 2.4 || '''0.7''' || style="background:#D3D3D3"|2.0° || 2.4 || style="background:#D3D3D3"|20.7°
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2020 WNBA season|2020]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2020 Phoenix Mercury season|Phoenix]]
| 12 || 12 || 31.8 || .497 || .000 || .809 || 7.5 || '''3.0''' || 0.3 || 1.8 || 2.5 || 17.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2021 WNBA season|2021]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2021 Phoenix Mercury season|Phoenix]]
| 30 || 30 || '''32.8''' || .575 || .444 || '''.846''' || '''9.5''' || 2.7 || 0.4 || style="background:#D3D3D3"|1.9° || 2.2 || 20.5
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:left;"| ''2022''
| colspan=13 style="text-align:center;"|''Did not appear in league (detained abroad)''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2023 WNBA season|2023]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2023 Phoenix Mercury season|Phoenix]]
| 31 || 31 || 27.6 || style="background:#D3D3D3"|.579° || .111 || .772 || 6.3 || 2.2 || 0.5 || 1.6 || 2.1 || 17.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2024 WNBA season|2024]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2024 Phoenix Mercury season|Phoenix]]
| 30 || 30 || 28.7 ||style="background:#D3D3D3"|.579° || '''.500''' || .777 || 6.6 || 2.3 || 0.5 || 1.5 || 1.8 || 17.8
|- class="sortbottom"
| rowspan=2 style="text-align:left;"| '''Career'''
| style="text-align:left;"| 11 years, 1 team
| 315 || 315 || 30.4 || .562 || .364 || .799 || 7.4 || 1.9 || 0.5 || 2.6 || 2.1 || 17.7
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;"| All-Star
| 7 || 5 || 15.5 || .593 || .176 || .500 || 7.1 || 0.9 || 0.3 || 1.4 || 0.9 || 15.1
|}

===Playoffs===
{{WNBA player statistics start|caption=WNBA playoff statistics}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2013 WNBA Playoffs|2013]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2013 Phoenix Mercury season|Phoenix]]
| 5 || 5 || 26.6 || .533 || — || .556 || 6.4 || 0.2 || 0.2 || 0.8 || '''1.6''' || 10.6
|-
|style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"| [[2014 WNBA Playoffs|2014]]<sup>†</sup>
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2014 Phoenix Mercury season|Phoenix]]
| 7 || 7 || 31.0 || .627 || — || '''.920''' || 6.0 || 1.6 || 0.4 || style="background:#D3D3D3"|3.4° || 1.8 || 16.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2015 WNBA Playoffs|2015]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2015 Phoenix Mercury season|Phoenix]]
| 4 || 4 || 29.7 || .583 || — || .885 || 8.0 || 1.3 || '''0.7''' || style="background:#D3D3D3"|'''4.5'''° || 2.0 || 16.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2016 WNBA Playoffs|2016]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2016 Phoenix Mercury season|Phoenix]]
| 5 || 5|| 31.2 || '''.643''' || — || .813 || 6.0 || 1.6 || 0.6 || 2.2 || 2.2 || 13.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2017 WNBA Playoffs|2017]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2017 Phoenix Mercury season|Phoenix]]
| 5 || 5|| '''36.8''' || .407 || — || .795 || 7.0 || 2.0  || 0.6 || 1.6 || 2.4 || 20.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2018 WNBA Playoffs|2018]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2018 Phoenix Mercury season|Phoenix]]
| 7 || 7 || 36.4 || .631 || — || .750 || 8.0 || '''3.1'''  || '''0.7''' || 2.2 || 1.7 || 21.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2019 WNBA Playoffs|2019]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2019 Phoenix Mercury season|Phoenix]]
| 1 || 1 || 13.8 || .375 || — || — || 3.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 1.0 || 1.0 || 6.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2021 WNBA Playoffs|2021]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2021 Phoenix Mercury season|Phoenix]]
| '''11''' || '''11''' || 35.1 || .562 || .000  || .800 || '''8.4''' || 3.0 || 0.4 || 1.6 || 2.1 || '''21.8'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2024 WNBA Playoffs|2024]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2024 Phoenix Mercury season|Phoenix]]
| 2 || 2 || 29.5 || .520 || '''.500''' || .700 || 5.5 || 0.0 || 0.5 || 2.0 || 2.0 || 17.0
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:left;"| '''Career'''
| style="text-align:left;"| 9 years, 1 team
| 47 || 47 || 32.4 || .560 || .167 || .803 || 7.1 || 1.9 || 0.5 || 2.2 || 2.0 || 17.7
|}

== Books ==
* {{Cite book |last1=Griner |first1=Brittney |last2=Hovey |first2=Sue |date=8 April 2014 |title=In My Skin: My Life On and Off the Basketball Court |url=https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062309341/in-my-skin |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140821080955/https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062309341/in-my-skin |archive-date=21 August 2014 |location=New York |publisher=Dey Street Books (HarperCollins) |isbn=9780062309341 |oclc=858354857 |access-date=6 May 2024}}
* {{Cite book |last1=Griner |first1=Brittney |last2=Burford |first2=Michelle |date=7 May 2024 |title=Coming Home |url=https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/739901/coming-home-by-brittney-griner-with-michelle-burford/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240504102159/https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/739901/coming-home-by-brittney-griner-with-michelle-burford/ |archive-date=4 May 2024 |location=New York |publisher=Alfred A. Knopf |isbn=9780593801345 |oclc=1428734880 |access-date=6 May 2024}}
  
==See also==
* [[List of NCAA Division I basketball career triple-doubles leaders]]
* List of NCAA Division I women's basketball players with 2,500 points and 1,000 rebounds
* [[List of American people imprisoned in Russia]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist|refs=
<ref name="WBCA Box Scores">{{cite web|title=WBCA High School All-America Game Box Scores |url=http://www.wbca.org/pages/AWARDS_high_school_all-america_game_box_scores |work=Women's Basketball Coaches Association |access-date=June 29, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140715064856/http://www.wbca.org/pages/AWARDS_high_school_all-america_game_box_scores |archive-date=July 15, 2014 }}</ref>

<ref name="Olympic Roster finalists">{{cite web |title=Twenty-One Finalists In The Mix For Final 2012 U.S. Women's Olympic Basketball Team Roster |url=http://www.usabasketball.com/womens/national/12_woly_21_finalists.html |publisher=USA Basketball |access-date=February 13, 2012 |date=February 13, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120216201120/http://www.usabasketball.com/womens/national/12_woly_21_finalists.html |archive-date=February 16, 2012 }}</ref>

<ref name="Past Winners - basketball">{{cite journal|title=Past Honda Sports Award Winners for Basketball |url=https://www.collegiatewomensportsawards.com/archives/basketball |journal=The Collegiate Women Sports Awards Program |access-date=May 8, 2014}}</ref>

<ref name="Wade Trophy">{{cite web|title=The Wade Trophy |url=https://wbca.org/recognize/player-awards/wade-trophy |work=Women's Basketball Coaches Association |access-date=June 30, 2014}}</ref>

<ref name="USBWA awards">{{cite news|title=USBWA Women's Honors |url=http://www.sportswriters.net/usbwa/awards/women/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150219093034/http://www.sportswriters.net/usbwa/awards/women/index.html |url-status=dead |access-date=February 18, 2015|archive-date=February 19, 2015 }}</ref>

<ref name="Honda Cup past winners">{{cite journal|title=Past Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year Winners (Honda Cup) |url=https://www.collegiatewomensportsawards.com/archives/aoty_awards |journal=The Collegiate Women Sports Awards Program |access-date=May 8, 2014 }}</ref>

<ref name="WBCA HS AA">{{cite web|title=Past WBCA HS Coaches' All-America Teams |url=http://www.wbca.org/pages/AWARDS_caat_hs_past|publisher=Women's Basketball Coaches Association |access-date=July 1, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140715025150/http://www.wbca.org/pages/AWARDS_caat_hs_past |archive-date=July 15, 2014}}</ref>

<ref name="Defensive POY">{{cite web |title=WBCA NCAA Division I Defensive Player of the Year |url=https://wbca.org/recognize/player-awards/wbca-ncaa-division-i-defensive-player-year |work=Women's Basketball Coaches Association |access-date=July 1, 2014 |archive-date=April 1, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160401181132/http://wbca.org/recognize/player-awards/wbca-ncaa-division-i-defensive-player-year |url-status=dead }}</ref>

<ref name="All Star FIBA 2014">{{cite web |title=Moore named MVP of 2014 FIBA World Championship for Women, headlines All-Star Five |url=https://www.fiba.basketball/news/moore-named-mvp-of-2014-fiba-world-championship-for-women-headlines-all-star-five |work=FIBA.com |access-date=October 5, 2014 |date=May 10, 2014 }}</ref>
}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110308191136/http://www.griner42.com/ griner42.com] (archived)
* {{Instagram|brittneyyevettegriner}}
* {{Basketball stats}}
* {{FIBA profile|new_id=184730|old_id=87551}}
* [https://www.usab.com/players/brittney-griner Brittney Griner] at [[USA Basketball]]
* {{Team USA|new_id=brittney-griner-907854|old_id=brittney-griner|sport=usa-basketball|archive=20230603102452}}
* {{Olympedia}}
* {{Olympics.com}}

{{Atlanta Dream current roster}}
{{Navboxes
| title = Brittney Griner–awards, championships and honors
| list1 =
{{s-start}}
{{s-ach}}
{{succession box 
| before = {{flagicon|USA}} [[Lindsey Vonn]]
| after = {{flagicon|USA}} [[Serena Williams]]
| title = [[Best Female Athlete ESPY Award]]
| years = 2012
}}
{{s-end}}
{{USBWA National Player of the Year – Women}}
{{USBWA National Freshman of the Year}}
{{Honda Sports Award}}
{{2012 Baylor Lady Bears basketball navbox}}
{{Big 12 Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Year navbox}}
{{NCAA basketball tournament MOP women}}
{{Wooden Player of the Year women}}
{{Wade Trophy}}
{{Naismith Player of the Year women}}
{{WBCA Defensive Player of the Year}}
{{ESPY Female Athlete}}
{{ESPY Best Female College Athlete}}
{{2013 WNBA draft}}
{{WNBA First Overall Picks}}
{{Phoenix Mercury}}
{{Phoenix Mercury 2014 WNBA champions}}
{{WNBA blocks leaders}}
{{WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Award}}
{{WNBA scoring champion}}
{{UMMC Ekaterinburg 2015–16 Euroleague Women champions}}
{{UMMC Ekaterinburg 2017–18 Euroleague Women champions}}
{{UMMC Ekaterinburg 2018–19 Euroleague Women champions}}
{{UMMC Ekaterinburg 2020–21 Euroleague Women champions}}
{{United States Squad 2014 FIBA World Championship for Women}}
{{United States Women Basketball Squad 2016 Summer Olympics}}
{{United States Squad 2018 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup}}
{{United States Women Basketball Squad 2020 Summer Olympics}}
{{United States Women Basketball Squad 2024 Summer Olympics}}
}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Griner, Brittney}}
[[Category:1990 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
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[[Category:American lesbian sportswomen]]
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[[Category:American people imprisoned in Russia]]
[[Category:American queer women]]
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[[Category:First overall WNBA draft picks]]
[[Category:Basketball players at the 2024 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Unrivaled basketball players]]
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