WNBA star Brittney Griner has filed for divorce from her wife, Cherelle Griner, in Fulton County, Georgia, court records show. The filing, submitted on Thursday, states the marriage is 'irretrievably broken' and seeks 'joint legal and physical custody' of the couple’s two-year-old son. Griner also requests an equitable division of marital assets and the return of her separate, nonmarital property, including inherited and premarital assets.
The couple, who married in 2018, officially separated on July 24, according to the court documents. Griner’s filing does not specify a reason for the separation beyond the breakdown of the relationship.
Griner, 35, is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and 8-time WNBA All-Star who plays for the Connecticut Sun. Her wife, Cherelle, was a vocal advocate for her during her 10-month detention in Russia in 2022, which began after customs officials discovered cannabis oil in her luggage. Griner attributed the incident to a 'mental lapse' while packing.
Griner was sentenced to nine years in a Russian penal colony but was released in December 2022 as part of a prisoner swap for convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. Since her return, she has publicly advocated for the release of other Americans detained in Russia, including former US Marine Paul Whelan and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, both of whom were freed in 2024 through separate negotiations.
The couple’s son, born in 2022, remains in the care of both parents pending court proceedings. Griner’s filing does not indicate whether Cherelle has responded to the divorce petition.
Court records related to the case were obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and reported by multiple outlets.