Having Spent 1 Thanksgiving in 9 Years in the US, Brittney Griner Couldn’t Make Enough Money to “Sustain Life” Through the WNBA as per Wife Cherelle

Brittney Griner has been in Russian detainment for months now. While the WNBA player has been encountering a flurry of challenges, her wife, Cherelle Griner, continues to fight for her release. Months apart from her loved one has crippled her to the bone. However, she has made it clear that she will not back down until Griner returns.

Brittney Griner has been detained in Russia since mid-February. The WNBA star got herself entangled in trouble after Russian authorities discovered vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage. After spending months in Russian detainment and countless court trials, she was sentenced to nine years of imprisonment.

Cherelle Griner expressed on ABC’s Good Morning America (GMA) in May that she wanted President Joe Biden to act. She remarked that the government claims that getting Griner back is their top priority, but she wants to see it materialize.

She then claimed that her wife enjoyed her time in Russia and had wonderful experiences until this year. However, Cherelle remarked that if it weren’t for the money, the WNBA star would have chosen not to travel overseas.

Brittney Griner had to travel to Russia to maximize her earnings

The WNBA players have long been outspoken about the disparity in pay between them and their male counterparts. It’s been a long struggle for them to tackle the wage disparity. Therefore, for years, Russia has been a favored off-season destination for several WNBA players to compete and maximize their income. Brittney Griner happens to be a part of that bunch.

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Cherelle argued that just to get that extra bread, Brittney Griner had to travel to Russia. She claimed that her wife had only been home once on Thanksgiving in the previous nine years.

“She has only had one Thanksgiving in the States in nine years she’s been pro and she misses all that stuff just because she can’t make enough money in the WNBA to sustain her life,” said Cherelle.

When the WNBA offseason arrives, Griner travels to Russia to play for UMMC Ekaterinburg. Moreover, the salary that she gets paid overseas significantly outshines what she makes in the WNBA.

Griner earns roughly $1 million per season playing for the UMMC Ekaterinburg, in addition to other resources and amenities. Whereas, her Phoenix Mercury three-year contract she put pen to in 2020 guarantees her $664,544.

This speaks eloquently about the wage disparity that WNBA players have to deal with. The players have to travel abroad and lose out on family time to generate enough money to provide for their families.

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Cherelle will be hoping that everything goes smoothly down this arduous path as she continues to struggle for her wife’s release.