Basketball and love Brittney Griner is one of the best athletes in the WNBA — and she always has her sweetheart, Cherelle GrinerShe cheered her on from the sidelines.
Brittney was playing college basketball at Baylor University in Texas when the Olympic gold medalist met Brittney. They didn’t start dating until years later, however, when they reconnected after the athlete split from her first wife, Glory Johnson.
“I will never forget the day I met you at Baylor in the sub area!” Brittney wrote via Instagram in June 2020. “You tapped me on my shoulder and told me I took your milkshake (still up for debate lol) and I was immediately blown away at your beauty! I didn’t know you were my baby, but I knew it was you. You stuck by my side at the lowest and at the highest!”
The Phoenix Mercury center proposed in August 2018 to Cherelle, and they were married nearly one year later. The couple have been gushing over each other on social media since then, sharing photos from vacations and remembrances of their relationship milestones.
“Everyday with you is spectacular but when I get to celebrate your life and all that you are is just breathtaking ❤️!” Brittney wrote via Instagram in July 2020 to celebrate her spouse’s birthday. “To many more my love.”
The couple became international news in 2022 when Brittney was detained in Russia for drug charges. Brittney was visiting Russia to play with the EuroLeague team UMMC Ekaterinburg in the WNBA offseason.
Brittney was already detained for two more weeks when the news reached the United States in March 2022. Officials were initially worried that an aggressive response could hurt her chances of a safe return amid Russia’s conflict with Ukraine, but in May 2022, the U.S. State Department said that Russia had “wrongfully detained” the Texas native.
“It’s an absolutely unimaginable situation for for BG,” WNBA commissioner Cathy EngelbertTelled Time after the State Department’s reclassification. “There’s not a day that goes by that I’m not working on this in some way. It was a really positive development for her case to be transferred into the part of the State Department that’s called the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs. When you get this designation of being detained, not under the best conditions, they’ve shown success at getting people out.”
Cherelle, for her part, supported her wife from afar, sharing videos on social media of Brittney’s time on the court. “Thank you to everyone who has reached out to me regarding my wife’s safe return from Russia,” she wrote via Instagram in March 2022. “Your prayers and support are greatly appreciated. I love my wife wholeheartedly, so this message comes during one of the weakest moments of my life.”
Keep scrolling for a look back at Brittney and Cherelle’s complete relationship timeline.
