Net Worth Ranker
What Is Brittney Griner’s Net Worth?
Brittney Griner, a dominant force in women’s basketball, has an estimated net worth of $5 million. This financial standing is primarily derived from her professional basketball career, including WNBA contracts, lucrative overseas deals, and significant endorsement agreements.
Brittney Griner’s Basketball Career Earnings
Griner’s journey in professional basketball began with the Phoenix Mercury, who selected her as the first overall pick in the 2013 WNBA Draft. Her initial four-year rookie contract totaled just over $200,000. Following her rookie contract, she signed a contract extension worth approximately $554,000. Subsequently, she secured a three-year deal valued at $644,544, which extended through the 2022 season.
During her WNBA career, Griner’s peak salary reached around $228,000 in the 2022 season. Over a decade, her total WNBA earnings amount to approximately $1.5 million. These figures highlight the financial disparities between the WNBA and other professional sports leagues, driving many WNBA stars to seek additional income through overseas contracts.
Griner significantly boosted her earnings through overseas stints, particularly in China and Russia. In the 2013-14 offseason, she played for China’s Zhejiang Golden Bulls, earning $600,000 for just four months of play. This sum was 12 times her rookie salary with the Phoenix Mercury, underscoring the financial incentives for WNBA players to compete internationally. Later, she played for Russia’s UMMC Ekaterinburg, reportedly earning around $1 million per season. She also won consecutive championships with the team. These international contracts have been crucial in building Brittney Griner’s net worth.
Brittney Griner’s Endorsement Deals
Off the court, Brittney Griner has secured several high-profile endorsement deals with major brands, substantially augmenting her income. After her rookie season, she signed a groundbreaking $1 million contract with Nike, making her the first openly gay athlete to be endorsed by the brand. This partnership marked a significant step towards LGBTQ+ representation in sports endorsements.
Over the years, Griner has also partnered with other well-known companies such as Gatorade and Beats by Dre, further increasing her visibility and income. In 2023, Griner inked an exclusive deal with Puma to headline its women’s basketball line. This deal is reportedly the largest shoe contract ever for a female basketball player. While the exact financial details of the Puma deal remain undisclosed, it signifies a substantial investment in Griner’s brand and image, reflecting her influence both on and off the basketball court.
Early Life and Basketball Beginnings
Brittney Griner was born on October 18, 1990, in Houston, Texas. She attended Nimitz High School, where she excelled in basketball and played varsity volleyball as a freshman. In her senior year, Griner helped lead the Nimitz Cougars to the Texas 5A girls’ basketball state championship, though they ultimately lost to Mansfield Summit High School.
During her senior year, Griner achieved 52 dunks, including a single-game record of seven dunks against Aldine High School. She also set a record for most single-season blocks, with 318. In recognition of her accomplishments, Griner was named a WBCA All-American. These early achievements foreshadowed her future success in college and professional basketball.
Collegiate Career at Baylor University
In college, Griner played basketball for the Baylor Lady Bears at Baylor University. As a freshman, she set a new single-season record with 223 blocked shots. In late 2009, she recorded Baylor’s first-ever triple-double. Early the following year, she became only the seventh female player to dunk during a college basketball game.
Baylor entered the NCAA Tournament and defeated Tennessee to advance to the Sweet 16. In the subsequent win against Georgetown, Griner set a new NCAA Tournament record with 14 blocked shots. Advancing to the Elite Eight, Baylor beat Duke, and Griner increased her total tournament blocks to a new record of 35. In the Final Four, Baylor lost to eventual champion Connecticut.
As a sophomore, Griner earned First-Team All-American honors. As a junior, she was named AP Player of the Year and helped Baylor win the Division I Women’s Basketball Championship over Notre Dame. Baylor finished the season undefeated with 40 wins, the most in the history of the NCAA. Griner played her final college game in 2013 in Baylor’s Sweet 16 loss to the University of Louisville. Her time at Baylor significantly elevated her profile and marketability, contributing to her future financial opportunities.
Phoenix Mercury Career Details
Chosen as the first overall pick by the Phoenix Mercury in the 2013 WNBA Draft, Griner made an immediate impact. In her debut, she matched the WNBA career dunk record set by Candace Parker with two dunks. She averaged three blocks per game, showcasing her defensive prowess.
In 2014, Griner improved her statistics, averaging 3.7 blocks per game in addition to 15.6 points and eight rebounds. In June, she set a new regular-season single-game WNBA record with 11 blocks. Griner helped the Mercury finish the 2014 season 29-5, breaking the record for most regular-season WNBA wins. The team subsequently swept the Chicago Sky in the WNBA Finals.
Griner continued her success in 2015, averaging four blocks per game in the most prolific defensive season in WNBA history. The Mercury once again made it to the playoffs, where Griner set a new WNBA playoff record of 11 blocks. Ultimately, the team fell to the Minnesota Lynx. In 2016, the Mercury made it back to the playoffs, advancing to the semifinals, but were again defeated by the Lynx.
In 2017, Griner posted a career-high 38 points in a victory over the Indiana Fever. She finished the season as the league leader in scoring with 21.9 points per game. In the playoffs, the Mercury beat the Seattle Storm and the Connecticut Sun to make it to the semifinals, where they fell to the Los Angeles Sparks.
Griner had another strong season in 2018, again leading the league in blocks and helping the Mercury advance to the playoffs. The following season, she again led the league in blocks and in scoring for the second time. In the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season, Griner played 12 games before having to leave for personal reasons. During the 2021 season, Griner averaged 20.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 2.7 assists, helping the Mercury to a 19-13 record and the fourth seed in the Western Conference. She went on to score the most points in the playoffs, leading the team to victories over the New York Liberty, Seattle Storm, and the first-seed Las Vegas Aces to reach the WNBA Finals. However, the Phoenix Mercury lost to the Chicago Sky in four games. Her consistent performance and accolades have significantly contributed to her marketability and earning potential.
Overseas Basketball Career Details
During the WNBA offseason, Griner frequently played abroad to supplement her income. In the 2013-14 season, she played with the WCBA’s Zhejiang Golden Bulls in China. Her $600,000 four-month contract was 12 times the amount she made as a rookie with the Phoenix Mercury, illustrating the substantial financial benefits of playing overseas.
For the 2014-15 and 2015-16 offseasons, Griner played for Russia’s UMMC Ekaterinburg, with which she won consecutive championships. She re-signed with the team for the subsequent three offseasons. These international contracts provided her with significant earnings that augmented her overall net worth and career earnings.
US National Team Career
In 2016, Griner was part of the US women’s basketball team at the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. The team earned the gold medal, defeating Spain 101-72 in the final. Five years later, Griner and the US team again took gold at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo. In addition to the Olympics, Griner and the US women’s basketball team won gold medals at the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in 2014 and 2018. These achievements on the international stage have further elevated her profile and marketability, indirectly contributing to her earning potential and Brittney Griner’s net worth.
Russian Arrest and Prisoner Swap
Brittney Griner’s career faced a significant interruption when she was arrested in Russia at Sheremetyevo International Airport in early 2022. She was found to be in possession of hash oil in her luggage, which is illegal under both Russian and US federal law. This arrest occurred during a period of heightened tensions between the US and Russia due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, leading to concerns about the difficulty of securing her release.
On July 7, 2022, Griner appeared in a Russian courtroom and pleaded guilty to drug charges. She was subsequently sentenced to serve more than ten years in prison. On December 8, 2022, Griner was released as part of a prisoner swap for convicted arms smuggler Viktor Bout, who had served 11 years of a 25-year sentence for attempting to arm terrorists who intended to kill Americans. This high-profile exchange brought global attention to Griner’s case and highlighted the geopolitical complexities involved in her situation.
Personal Life and Advocacy
Griner publicly came out as lesbian in early 2013 and has been an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. She has challenged traditional gender roles, including modeling clothes branded as menswear through her endorsement deal with Nike.
In 2014, Griner got engaged to fellow WNBA player Glory Johnson. In 2015, both were arrested on charges of disorderly conduct and assault. Despite this, the pair married. Shortly after their wedding, Griner and Johnson were suspended by the WNBA for seven games after both pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct charges. In June 2015, it was announced that Johnson was pregnant with twins. However, the next day, Griner filed for an annulment of the marriage, citing alleged duress and fraud. The divorce was finalized in 2016.
In 2018, Griner got engaged to Cherelle Watson, whom she married in 2019. These personal milestones, along with her advocacy work and high-profile endorsements, have contributed to her overall public image and brand, indirectly affecting her financial opportunities. Brittney Griner is calling for better traveling accommodations for WNBA players after an incident in June 2023 in which she was harassed by a YouTuber when walking through a Dallas airport.
