WNBA Star Brittney Griner has a rather unique story to the league. From being unusually tall for a woman and being shamed at school for that reason to becoming one of the greatest to ever grace the women’s college scene. Brittney Griner has come a long way. Subsequently, she has also been the number one pick in the 2013 WNBA draft. But many fans don’t know that she actually dreamed of joining the US armed forces. However, her tall, lanky frame came in the way of her dreams.

Griner grew up in a large family with a brother and two sisters. And her dad was a police officer. She used to work on cars from a young age with her dad and she learned the best she could. The Phoenix Mercury star even wanted to take up studies in the automotive field but her basketball schedule did not allow that.

Brittney Griner was inspired by her father to join the Air Force

Griner’s dad was a police officer in Houston. And he also was a military veteran who served in Vietnam. Griner? adds,” I?d run outside in my bare feet?I can still remember tiptoeing across the hot cement?to meet him. I liked to hear stories about his day, and I also liked to hear his stories about when he served in Vietnam.”

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“Sometimes he?d get out his scrapbook and show me pictures of himself overseas. When I was really little, I wanted to be in the Air Force, but now I don?t think I could fit in the cockpit.”

The 2014 WNBA champion also wanted to join the US armed forces. However, her height came in the way. The U.S. military has height and weight restrictions, both on the higher and lower ends. As a result, Griner, standing at a staggering 6’8″, didn’t make the cut.

She would later go on to play multiple sports in high school. Then she realized that basketball was her sport, and she stuck to it. And it was a great choice, as she had one of the greatest college basketball careers ever.

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Currently Griner is in prison in Russia , serving a nine-year term for drug trafficking charges. The US Government is trying to get her back as soon as possible and talks have been ongoing.