Brittney Griner Does Not Have a Husband, Her Wife Is Cherelle Griner

2022 was a defining year for Cherelle Griner. After her unwavering efforts to help bring her wife, WNBA star Brittney Griner, home from detainment in Russia, she wants to continue doing the same for other American detainees. Her latest achievement may just be one more stepping stone.

Basketball star Brittney Griner drew her first breath in Houston, Texas, on October 8, 1990. Before focusing on an athletic career, she tried her hand at acting, appearing briefly as a student with dreadlocks in the T.V. series "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" in 2010.

It was the only fictional T.V. role under her name at the time of writing. Three years later, Brittney joined the WNBA as a Phoenix Mercury teammate, where she would become one of the game's leading centers. In 2016, she decorated her resume further as a Team USA Olympic Gold Medalist.

The year before, in May, she had married her first wife, Glory Johnson; however, the former couple divorced in 2016. Brittney moved on with Cherelle Griner (née Watson), and by 2019, the lovers had tied the knot. Cherelle has since poised herself for a rewarding career in the law sector.

How Brittney Met Cherelle

Brittney and Cherelle met as undergraduate students at Baylor University in Texas. Brittney recalled their first encounter in a sweet tribute in June 2020, revealing that it occurred at the institution's sub-area. "You tapped me on my shoulder and told me I took your milkshake (still up for debate lol) [...]," she joked.

Brittney was enamored with Cherelle's beauty, but the two didn't start dating until years later. Still, Brittney was certain that Cherelle was the one, despite her not knowing it then. She added that she learned "how to love and how to be loved" from Cherelle's unwavering compassion through her highs and lows.

Brittney and Cherelle Married in 2019

Brittney and Cherelle announced their engagement in August 2018 via a now-deleted Instagram post. "I will never forget the first time I said I love you and I will never forget when you said YES!" the multi-All-Star player reportedly gushed at the time.

The couple married on June 18, 2019, and will mark their fourth wedding anniversary later this year. In June 2021, when they celebrated their second anniversary, Cherelle hinted at the idea of her and Brittney having kids. The following month, she thanked her beau for organizing a "chill" birthday to unwind after a stressful period of dealing with work and school.

The Couple Has Been through Hard Times

Brittney and Cherelle spent ten months apart between February and December 2022, during which Brittney faced drug charges in Russia. Authorities at an airport had discovered hashish oil in her vape cartridges and charged her with attempting to smuggle drugs into the country. She was subsequently detained.

This occurred during the WNBA off-season, and Brittney was in Russia to play for the country's basketball team UMMC Ekaterinburg. It wasn't until about two weeks into her detainment that Cherelle and Americans alike received the news of the allegations pinned against her. A movement to free Brittney was then ignited and spread across the globe.

After pleading guilty during her trial in July 2022, stating she had no intention of breaking the law, Brittney wrote to President Joe Biden to ask not only for her safe return home but also for other American detainees' freedom.

The U.S. president contacted Cherelle a few days later and joined forces with her in bringing Brittney home. In August, Brittney was convicted of drug smuggling and possession and sentenced to nine and a half years in prison. She appealed the sentence in October, but it was upheld, and she was transferred to a penal colony the next month.

She endured several more weeks of imprisonment before she was released in a one-for-one prison swap involving arms dealer Viktor Bout last December. Cherelle had spoken out about Brittney's "hostage situation" throughout the year, and when she finally returned, she felt her family was "whole" again.

Before then, she had opened up about how Brittney's strength diminished during her time away. "You could hear that she was not okay. If you think about just a person's suffering and when they have suffered to a max…she was at the max that day," she said of their second call during Brittney's detainment.

Earlier this year, Cherelle was listed in The Recast Power List alongside Lindsey Kagawa Colas for their significant contribution to Brittney's release. The pair was listed among others recognized for their efforts to bring change, including U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, Elon Musk, Deion Sanders, and Bad Bunny.

Brittney's Wife, Cherelle, Is a Former Teacher

It's unknown how long Cherelle held that position, but in May 2022, she graduated with a Juris Doctorate in Law from the North Carolina Central University of Law. Before then, she had attained a degree in Political Science and Government with a minor in Family and Child studies.

Cherelle took to Instagram to celebrate her latest milestone, alongside a photo of herself posing in her graduation attire. Brittney, whose father once struggled to accept her sexuality, also congratulated her wife, saying there weren't enough words to encompass her pride. "Congratulations Attorney Cherelle Griner," she concluded.