Brittney Griner Files For Divorce From Wife Who Fought For Her Release From Russia

Brittney Griner has filed for divorce from her wife, Cherelle Griner, nearly eight years after they exchanged vows. The WNBA star submitted the petition Thursday in Fulton County, Georgia, and described their marriage as “irretrievably broken.” The breakup comes four years after Cherelle became Brittney’s most visible advocate during the basketball player’s nearly 10-month detention in Russia.

According to TMZ, Brittney listed July 24, 2026, as the date she and Cherelle separated. The former Phoenix Mercury player, who now plays for the Connecticut Sun, is asking the court to grant the couple joint legal custody of their two-year-old son, Bash. Brittney also requested that the court determine whether either party should be ordered to pay child support and, if so, how much should be awarded.

Neither Brittney nor Cherelle has issued a public statement about the end of their marriage. The divorce proceedings are unfolding while Brittney continues competing in the current WNBA season.

The Couple Met At Baylor University

Brittney and Cherelle initially met while attending Baylor University before becoming romantically involved years later. They married in June 2018 and welcomed Bash in 2024. The pair occasionally shared glimpses of their family life after becoming parents, but their relationship was tested publicly when Brittney was detained in Russia in February 2022.

Cherelle, who is an attorney, became one of the leading voices demanding action from the United States government as her wife remained overseas. The couple stayed together throughout the ordeal and after Brittney returned home in December 2022.

Cherelle Griner Fought To Bring Brittney Home

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Brittney was arrested on February 17, 2022, at an airport near Moscow after Russian authorities said they discovered vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage. Her detention occurred as tensions between the United States and Russia intensified following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

In March, Russian authorities extended Brittney’s pretrial detention until May 19, prompting increased concern about her health and treatment. The U.S. State Department demanded access to the basketball star, saying, “We are closely engaged on this case and in frequent contact with Brittney Griner’s legal team. We insist the Russian government provide consular access to all U.S. citizen detainees in Russia, including those in pre-trial detention, as Brittney Griner is.”

Cherelle publicly urged then-President Joe Biden to intervene during an interview with “Good Morning America” in May. “I just keep hearing that, you know, he has the power. She’s a political pawn,” she said. “So if they’re holding her because they want you to do something, then I want you to do it.”

Cherelle Lost ‘Trust’ In The Government After A Missed Call

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Cherelle’s frustration intensified after a planned anniversary call between the couple failed to take place because the U.S. Embassy line was reportedly not staffed that weekend. “I was distraught. I was hurt. I was done, fed up,” Cherelle told The Associated Press.

The State Department subsequently acknowledged the mistake. “We deeply regret that Brittney Griner was unable to speak with her wife because of a logistical error,” a spokesperson said, adding that the call would be rescheduled.

While imprisoned, Brittney sent a handwritten letter to Biden describing her fear that she might never return home. “As I sit here in a Russian prison, alone with my thoughts and without the protection of my wife, family, friends, Olympic jersey, or any accomplishments, I’m terrified I might be here forever,” she wrote.

Brittney Griner Returned Home In A Prisoner Exchange

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After months of negotiations, Brittney was released on December 8, 2022, as part of a prisoner exchange involving Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. Biden announced the news from the White House with Cherelle beside him.

The former president said securing Brittney’s freedom required “painstaking and intense negotiations” and thanked those who “worked tirelessly to secure her release.” “She’s relieved to finally be heading home and the fact remains that she’s lost months of her life, experienced a needless trauma,” Biden said. “She deserves space, privacy and time with her loved ones to recover and heal from her time being wrongfully detained.”

Cherelle’s advocacy remained central to the public campaign for Brittney’s release throughout the ordeal. She participated in interviews, pressed government officials for action, and continued drawing attention to her wife’s detention. Now, nearly four years later, Brittney’s divorce filing marks the end of the marriage that endured one of the most difficult periods of both women’s lives.