Brittney Griner’s Net Worth: The Role of Basketball, Endorsements, and Business Ventures

Brittney Griner’s net worth is a matter of public interest because of her fame, prominence, and skills in the Women’s NBA. 

She is one of the most decorated athletes in the history of the Women’s NBA and a controversial figure for her advocacy for the LGBT community, protest against the national anthem, support of BLM, and arrest in Russia.

Through her WNBA career, endorsements, deals, and business ventures, Brittney Griner has accumulated a lot of wealth.

This guide to Brittney Griner’s net worth explores her life in detail, including her basketball career, gold medals, business ventures, and legal issues.

What is Brittney Griner’s net worth?

According to different sources, Brittney Griner’s net worth is estimated at $5 million.

Who is Brittney Griner?

Brittney Griner (born October 18, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). She’s the first openly gay WNBA player and a strong advocate for women’s rights. She is a 2X Olympic gold medalist with the U.S. women’s national basketball team and a 6x WNBA All-Star.

Early life

Brittney Yevette Griner was born October 18, 1990, in Houston, Texas, to Raymond and Sandra Griner. She has three older siblings, D, Shkera, and Pier.

She grew up in a troubled household and often faced bullying and harassment for her height and appearance. Brittney found solace in basketball and quickly became one of the best players in her age group.

High school career 

Griner attended Nimitz High School in Houston, where she played basketball with the men’s team.

In her junior season, a YouTube video featuring her dunks received over 6.6 million views, resulting in a meeting with Shaquille O’Neal.

Griner participated in the 2009 WBCA High School All-America Game and was named a WBCA All-American.

College career

After graduating high school, Griner attended Baylor University in Waco, Texas, where she continued playing basketball. 

She led the Baylor University women’s basketball team to a lopsided 99–18 victory against their rivals, Texas State University.

Griner also led the team to 2 Finals Four appearances and a National Championship in 2012. She was also a three-time All-American and the recipient of numerous awards.

Her college career ended in the 2013 NCAA women’s basketball tournament.

Pro WNBA career 

After graduating college, she was drafted first overall by the Phoenix Mercury in the 2013 WNBA draft. 

Griner has been with the team ever since and has established herself as one of the best players in the league. She has been named to the All-Star team multiple times and has won several awards for her performance.

Griner is considered one of the tallest ever women’s WNBA players, and only three female players have ever surpassed her 6 ft 7 in height:

• Margo Dydek: 7 ft. 2 in. (2.18 m) 
• Bernadett Határ: 6 ft 10.5 in (2.096 m)
• Han Xu: 6 ft. 10 in. (2.08 m).

International Playing

When the WNBA is off-season, Griner plays internationally, like other athletes.

In the 2013–14 off-season, she played in China for the Zhejiang Golden Bulls of the WCBA in a four-month contract worth $600,000. 

In the 2014–15 off-season, Griner played in China for the Beijing Great Wall of the WCBA. 

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. Griner re-signed with Russian side UMMC Ekaterinburg for the 2016–17, 2017–18, and 2018–19 off-seasons, earning about $1.5 million.

National team career

Griner has also had a successful international career, which started in 2011.

She represented the United States women’s basketball team at the 2014 and 2018 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, earning gold medals with the team in both instances. 

Griner also represented the national team in the 2016 Olympic women’s basketball at the Summer Olympics in Rio and the 2021 Olympics, winning gold medals with Team USA in both instances.

2022 arrest and imprisonment in Russia

In 2022, Griner was arrested on drug smuggling charges in Russia. 

The U.S. State Department stated that they had determined that Griner was being wrongfully detained.

But in July 2022, Griner pleaded guilty but explained that she did not intend to break the law.

In August 2022, the Russian court found her guilty, sentenced her to 9 years in prison, and fined her 1 million rubles (US$16,301).

In December 2022, Russia released her in a controversial 1-for-1 prisoner swap.

How did Brittney Griner make her money?

Brittney Griner’s net worth is estimated at $5 million, which she earned through her basketball career, endorsements, business ventures, and real estate investments.

1. Pro Basketball Career

Griner began her professional basketball career in 2013 after being drafted by the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA draft. 

Brittney Griner’s peak annual salary was $227,000, the WNBA league max. 

She has played for the Mercury since singing and has been named to multiple WNBA All-Star teams. 

Recently, reports have suggested that Brittney Griner will receive her full salary for the last year despite missing the whole season.

2. Overseas Playing

In addition to her WNBA salary, Griner has played in overseas leagues during the WNBA off-season, where she earned significant money.

In 2014 she made $600,000 playing for a Chinese team, China’s Zhejiang Golden Bulls, for three months. In recent years she has earned around $1.5 million playing for UMMC Ekaterinburg in Russia for the off-season – six times her WNBA salary with the Phoenix Mercury.

3. National Team

Griner has also played for the United States women’s national basketball team, which has given her additional opportunities to earn money through sponsorships and endorsements.

4. Deals and Endorsements

Griner earned money through sponsorship and endorsement deals. She has worked with companies such as Nike, T-Mobile, and BodyArmor.

She became Nike’s first openly gay athlete in 2013 when she signed a $1m deal.

5. Business Ventures

She ventured into business by launching her own brand, BG32. The brand sells clothing and accessories for both men and women.

6. Real Estate

Griner has invested in real estate, which has provided her with additional income streams. She has purchased several properties, including a Phoenix, Arizona home and a Dallas, Texas condo.

Brittney Griner’s house is a 4,000-sq-ft luxury home in Houston, Texas. This property has been bought by Zoe Kravitz for a price of $4 million USD (but is currently worth over $7 million).

Brittney Griner’s Car Collection

Griner also owns top-brand cars including:

• Volvo XC60 – $110,000 
• Mercedes-Benz G-Class T – $370,000

FAQ

What is Brittney Griner’s net worth?

Brittney Griner’s net worth is estimated to be $5 million.

How did Brittney Griner make her money?

Brittney Griner made her money primarily through her basketball career, endorsements, and sponsorships. She was a top player at Baylor University and a professional in the WNBA with the Phoenix Mercury from 2013 to date. During the WNBS off-season, she also plays overseas to earn more income.

What basketball accomplishments has Brittney Griner achieved?

Brittney Griner has achieved many basketball accomplishments throughout her career. Some of her notable achievements include:

• 3x Naismith College Player of the Year
• 3x WNBA Defensive Player of the Year awards
• 5x All-WNBA First Team 
• WNBA Defensive Player of the Year
• NCAA champion (2012)
• WNBA Peak Performer
• All-WNBA First Team
• 2X Olympic gold medalist (2016 Rio de Janeiro and 2020 Tokyo)
• 6X WNBA All-Star
• 2X FIBA World Cup gold medal (2014 Turkey and 2018 Spain)
• WNBA champion (2014)
• Russian Cup winner (2017)

What type of endorsements has Brittney Griner secured?

Griner has secured endorsements with various brands such as Nike, T-Mobile, and BodyArmor.

What business ventures has Brittney Griner been involved in?

Griner has been involved in several business ventures, including launching her own fashion line and partnering with a beverage company to create her own line of energy drinks.

What gold medals has Brittney Griner won?

Brittney Griner has won two gold medals with the USA Basketball Women’s National Team. One at the 2014 FIBA World Championship and one at the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo. She also has two gold Olympic gold medals with the USA Basketball Women’s National Team.

What awards has Brittney Griner received?

Brittney Griner has received numerous awards throughout her career. Some of her awards include:

• 8× WNBA All-Star (2013–2015, 2017–2019, 2021, 2022)
• 2× WNBA scoring champion (2017, 2019)
• 2× WNBA Peak Performer (2017, 2019)
• 3× All-WNBA First Team (2014, 2019, 2021)
• 3× WNBA All-Defensive First Team (2014, 2015, 2018)
• 4× WNBA All-Defensive Second Team (2016, 2017, 2019, 2021)
• 3× Russian National League champion (2015–2017)
• 4× EuroLeague champion (2016, 2018, 2019, 2021)

How has Brittney Griner used her platform to support the LGBT community?

As an openly gay athlete, Brittney Griner has used her platform to support and advocate for the LGBT community. She has spoken about LGBT rights and advocated for inclusivity and acceptance in sports.

What legal issues has Brittney Griner faced?

In 2015, Brittney Griner faced legal issues when she and her then-wife, Glory Johnson, were arrested for domestic violence. The charges were later dropped, and the couple divorced. In 2022, she was arrested in Russia for drug possession, sentenced to 9 years, and released three months later in a prisoner swap with the USA.

Takeaway

Brittney Griner’s net worth of about $5 million is a testament to her hard work. Griner is a successful basketball player who has achieved numerous awards and accomplishments throughout her career. She has also used her platform to support the LGBT community and has been involved in various business ventures and sponsorships. 

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