Ayrton Oneill
As of 2025, Brittney Griner is not retired from basketball. Griner is an American professional basketball player who spent 11 seasons with the Phoenix Mercury after being drafted in 2013. In 2025, she signed a one-year deal with the Atlanta Dream. Griner has won three Olympic gold medals with the U.S. women's national basketball team and is a six-time WNBA All-Star.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Current status | Brittney Griner is not retired from basketball |
| Current team | Atlanta Dream |
| Previous team | Phoenix Mercury |
| Number of seasons with the Mercury | 11 |
| Number of seasons with the Dream | First season |
| Retirement plans | Griner has contemplated retiring but is “nowhere near retiring” |
| Age | 34 |
| Personal life | Griner and her wife, Cherelle, are expecting a child |
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What You'll Learn
Brittney Griner's career highlights
Brittney Griner is an American professional basketball player for the Atlanta Dream of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and for Phantom BC of Unrivaled. She is a three-time Olympic gold medallist and a six-time WNBA All-Star. Griner was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine in 2023.
Griner 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, and won the Best Female Athlete ESPY Award. She also led Baylor in winning the National Championship. In 2012, Griner was the recipient of the Wade Trophy, presented to the best female NCAA Division I basketball player who embodies the "Spirit of Margaret Wade". She was also the winner of the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award in 2012 and 2013.
Griner was selected as the first overall pick in the 2013 WNBA draft by the Phoenix Mercury, with whom she won the 2014 WNBA championship. She is the only NCAA basketball player to score 2,000 points and block 500 shots. She is also the fastest player to reach 500 blocks in WNBA history, achieving this feat in just 153 games. Griner is third in WNBA history in career blocks, with 812, and is second in WNBA history in field goal percentage, with 56.2%. She also holds the WNBA record for blocks in a single game, with 11.
Griner has also had a successful overseas career. She has won the EuroLeague Championship four times (2016, 2018, 2019, and 2021) and the Russian League Championship three times (2015, 2016, and 2017). She also won a Russian Cup in 2017.
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Griner's move from Mercury to Dream
As of 2025, Brittney Griner is not retired from basketball. Instead, she is making a big move from the Mercury to the Atlanta Dream, where she will play for the 2025 season.
Griner's move from the Mercury to the Dream is a significant one in the WNBA. Griner had spent 11 seasons with the Phoenix Mercury, being drafted by them in 2013 and winning the 2014 WNBA Championship with the team. She was also the first overall pick in the 2013 WNBA draft. During her time with the Mercury, Griner established herself as one of the most accomplished women's basketball players ever, becoming a 10-time WNBA All-Star and a six-time WNBA All-Star overall. She also led the league in blocks for eight different years and was a two-time WNBA scoring champion. Standing at 6 ft 9 in, Griner's ability to dunk has brought more attention to women's basketball.
However, after the 2024 season, Griner hinted at a possible exit from the Mercury, stating she would be meeting with other teams for the first time as a free agent. Her departure was then confirmed when the Mercury acquired Alyssa Thomas, an Olympic teammate of Griner's, in a trade. The Mercury were also reported to be moving in a different direction, revamping their roster with new players.
Griner's decision to join the Dream was influenced by the team's players, including All-Stars Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray, with whom she felt she would fit well. The Dream also hired a new coach, Karl Smesko, who has been working with Griner to adjust her shot technique. Griner has expressed excitement about her fresh start with the Dream, feeling re-energized and setting her sights on playing at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
With the Dream, Griner will bring her veteran presence to a young and promising team. She will team up with talented guard Rhyne Howard, who led the Dream in the 2024 campaign with impressive statistics. The Dream will also benefit from Griner's scoring prowess and defensive skills, aiming to improve their offensive performance and make a step forward in the playoffs.
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Griner's Olympic goals
As of 2025, Brittney Griner is not retired from basketball. The American professional basketball player currently plays for the Atlanta Dream of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and for Phantom BC of Unrivaled.
Griner is a three-time Olympic gold medallist with the U.S. women's national basketball team and a six-time WNBA All-Star. She has also won two FIBA Women's World Cup titles with Team USA.
Griner has competed in three Olympic Games: Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020, and France 2024. She earned her first Olympic gold medal in 2016 as the U.S. women's national basketball team beat Spain 101-72 in the final. Griner won her second Olympic gold medal in Tokyo in 2021, and her third in France in 2024.
Griner has set her sights on competing at the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028. She told ESPN:
> "It's a goal of mine... It hasn't been in the U.S. for a while now, so I think to be able to play at the Olympics in your home country would be amazing. My parents have never been to the Olympics. So, I'm going to strive for it and try to do what I need to do so I can get that call-up or at least be at the camp and help out the ones that will go, whatever it's going to be."
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Griner's retirement plans
As of 2025, Brittney Griner is an American professional basketball player for the Atlanta Dream of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She is not retired.
However, Griner has hinted at retirement, and her recent move from the Phoenix Mercury to the Atlanta Dream has sparked speculation about a possible retirement or a major career shift. Griner spent 11 seasons with the Mercury and had intended to retire as a Mercury. However, the organisation had other plans, and she was surprised to learn that they wanted to try something different.
Griner has been unequivocal about her mindset regarding retirement, firmly denying any plans to retire after the Mercury's first-round playoff exit in 2024. She stated, "I'm nowhere near retiring, so let's not even start that talk or try to get that going out there... Y'all are gonna see me again". Her performance in the 2025 season with the Atlanta Dream will be telling.
Despite her denial, Griner's openness to exploring new opportunities and the Mercury's evolving philosophy suggest that significant changes are imminent. Griner has expressed excitement about her future with the Atlanta Dream, feeling re-energized by the fresh start and the opportunity to complement her playing style with that of her new teammates. She has set her sights on playing at the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028.
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Griner's personal life
Brittney Griner is married to Cherelle Griner, and they have a son named Bash, who was born in July 2024. The couple met while they were both students at Baylor University and got married in June 2019. Cherelle Griner accompanied Brittney to Paris for the 2024 Summer Games, where Brittney won her third gold medal playing for Team USA.
Brittney Griner is a three-time Olympic gold medalist and a six-time WNBA All-Star. She was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine in 2023. Griner was selected as the first overall pick in the 2013 WNBA draft by the Phoenix Mercury, with whom she won the 2014 WNBA championship. After 11 seasons with the Mercury, Griner moved to the Atlanta Dream. She has expressed her desire to play at the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028.
In February 2022, Griner was detained in Russia after a customs dog found vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her bag. She was detained for 10 months in a Russian prison before being released with the help of the Mercury organisation. Following her release, Griner stated that she would stand for the national anthem, while continuing to support those who choose to protest.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Griner is not retired from basketball. She is currently playing for the Atlanta Dream, having previously played for the Phoenix Mercury. She has stated that she is ""nowhere near retiring".
Griner played for the Phoenix Mercury for 11 seasons. She was selected as the first overall pick in the 2013 WNBA draft by the team.
Griner currently plays for the Atlanta Dream of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).
Yes, Griner is a three-time Olympic gold medalist with the U.S. women's national basketball team. She also won a WNBA championship with the Phoenix Mercury in 2014.
