Brittney Griner Called Wife ‘The Best Mother And Spouse’ Weeks Before Pulling The Plug On 8-Year Marriage

Brittney Griner is going through her second divorce!

The WNBA star recently filed for separation from her longtime spouse, Cherelle Griner, ending their relationship after eight years together.

The news caused a stir among fans, as Brittney Griner had celebrated her estranged wife’s birthday just weeks before the divorce filing. She was briefly married to fellow WNBA player Glory Johnson in 2015.

Brittney and Cherelle showed no signs of trouble in their marriage as they appeared to be head over heels for each other earlier this month. On July 2, the basketball player honored her estranged wife with a carousel of images depicting their lovey-dovey life.

The first image was a snap of Cherelle holding their son, Bash, and celebrating at one of Brittney’s basketball games. There were shots of the then-couple enjoying PDA sessions and moments of them as a family of three, including the moment they welcomed their son.

“Can’t let the day end without telling the Best Mother and Spouse Happy Birthday! We are grateful for every day and year with you, baby. Bash had to be the first pic he said lol!” Brittney captioned the Instagram post. At the time, her words sparked a wave of support from fans, with someone hoping for a love like theirs.

Fans Call Out The Basketball Player For Leaving A Devoted Partner 

News of Brittney’s divorce filing did not sit right with many, who called her out on X for ditching the woman who stood by her side. Many referenced the time the athlete was stuck in a Russian prison on drug charges, remembering how Cherelle fought for her release.

A disappointed fan claimed many Americans did not want Brittney to regain her freedom, describing her as a “woke, lying, entitled, horrible, and hateful self-absorbed” person. However, Cherelle fought for her release only to be met with a divorce. “What a sleazebag,” the person added.

A fellow critic dubbed the media personality “a low down dirty b-tch” for leaving Cherelle, while others wondered what sparked their separation. A shocked X user noted they had watched a Vlog from the estranged couple four days before the news hit, believing they would always be “endgame.”

Brittney Griner Says Their Marriage Is ‘Irretrievably Broken’

For the fans hoping for a reunion, Brittney and Cherelle may be unable to rekindle the flame between them, given the athlete’s divorce filing. TMZ reported that she dropped her divorce petition on Thursday, July 30, citing July 24 as the estranged couple’s date of separation.

The worst part, Brittney declared there was no chance of reconciliation, claiming their marriage was “irretrievably broken.” She asked the court for joint legal custody of their son, Bash, and to determine how much child support she needed to pay, if any at all.

The estranged spouses first crossed paths as students at Baylor University in Texas. PEOPLE reported that Connecticut Sun player once claimed she fell in love at first sight, but they didn’t start dating until years later, following the end of Brittney’s first marriage.

The Estranged Couple’s Relationship Timeline

The six-time WNBA All-Star decided to give marriage a second chance in August 2018 when she popped the big question and got engaged to Cherelle. Nearly a year later, the duo tied the knot in June 2019 and became a fan-favorite for their sweet interactions.

In June 2020, Brittney proudly celebrated their first wedding anniversary with a touching tribute to her then-wife. The outlet reported that she was full of love for Cherelle, crediting her for changing her perspective on relationships and helping her find her genuine self.

The two stayed glued to each other in times of adversity, with Cherelle fighting for Brittney’s release after she was detained in Russia in 2022. The latter was charged with smuggling “narcotic drugs” into the country after vape cartridges containing cannabis oil were discovered in her luggage.

Brittney Griner’s First Marriage Ended On A Sour Note

Thanks to Cherelle’s consistent efforts to raise awareness about Brittney’s incarceration, including her pleas to former president Joe Biden, the basketball player regained her freedom in December 2022. She was released in a one-for-one prisoner swap for international arms dealer Viktor Bout.

Now, their impending divorce has renewed fans’ interest in the media personality’s first marriage to Glory Johnson. The former couple was briefly married in 2015, with Brittney filing for an annulment just 28 days after their wedding, per ET.

Brittney claimed she felt “pressured” to tie the knot with Johnson, noting she knew their wedding “was a mistake.” The duo did not end things amicably, as they made waves for a domestic violence incident, which the athlete dubbed “mutual combat.”

Will Brittney Griner’s second divorce end amicably?