Meet Brittney Griner’s Siblings: Decarlo Griner, Pier Griner, and Shkera Griner

Brittney Griner is one of the most decorated centers in WNBA history, but long before the blocks, the championships, and the Olympic medals, she was simply the baby of the Griner household in Houston, Texas.

Born Brittney Yvette Griner on October 18, 1990, in Houston, Texas, the now 35-year-old athlete is African American and was raised in the Houston suburbs of Humble and Dayton.

She is the daughter of Raymond Griner, a Vietnam-era U.S. Navy veteran and former sheriff’s deputy, and Sandra Griner. Brittney is the youngest of four children, with three older siblings: DeCarlo Griner, Shkera Griner, and Pier Griner.

Standing at an imposing 6 feet 9 inches, Brittney attended Aldine Nimitz High School in Houston before earning a scholarship to Baylor University, where she led the Baylor Lady Bears to the 2012 NCAA National Championship and picked up a bachelor’s degree in education.

She was drafted first overall by the Phoenix Mercury in the 2013 WNBA Draft, spent eleven seasons in Phoenix, played for the Atlanta Dream in 2025, and now suits up for the Connecticut Sun for the 2026 season.

On the personal side, Brittney’s dating history includes a high-profile relationship with fellow WNBA player Glory Johnson. The two got engaged in 2014, briefly married in 2015, and share twin daughters, Ava Simone and Solei Diem, though the marriage was later annulled amid a public breakup.

Brittney went on to date attorney Cherelle Watson, becoming engaged in 2018 and marrying in June 2019. Cherelle Griner became a prominent public figure in her own right while advocating for Brittney’s release during her 2022 detention in Russia. The couple later welcomed a child together.

Decarlo Griner

Decarlo Griner is Brittney’s oldest sibling and her only brother, roughly 17 years her senior. He is Brittney’s half-brother, born to their father, Raymond Griner, from Raymond’s first marriage, making him and Shkera full siblings to each other and half-siblings to Brittney and Pier.

Standing around 6 feet 7 inches tall, Decarlo shares his family’s height, though he has largely stayed away from the spotlight and does not have a public career tied to basketball or entertainment.

Despite the age gap and the fact that they did not grow up in the same household full-time, Brittney has described a close and enduring bond with Decarlo. In her 2024 memoir, Coming Home, she recounted how Decarlo was among the first family members to visit her at a San Antonio military base after her release from Russian detention, alongside their father.

She also wrote about a period after her release when Decarlo flew out to Houston simply to be near her without booking a return flight, describing his presence as “a safety net” during a difficult adjustment back to normal life. To Brittney, Decarlo is a steady, protective older brother whose quiet support has meant far more than public recognition ever could.

Pier Griner

Pier Griner is Brittney’s full sister, born to both Raymond and Sandra Griner, and is roughly five years older than Brittney.

Standing about 5 feet 5 inches tall, Pier is notably shorter than her towering younger sister, a contrast Brittney has often pointed out. Brittney has described Pier as far more girly and traditionally feminine growing up, in playful contrast to her own rough-and-tumble, tomboyish childhood.

Growing up, the two sisters shared a typical, mischievous sibling relationship, with Brittney admitting to pulling pranks on Pier, including balancing cups of water above her bedroom door and rigging backyard traps to startle her.

Pier has remained one of the more private members of the Griner family, largely avoiding media attention even during Brittney’s most publicized moments. Still, she remained close to her sister through difficult times, including reconnecting with Brittney over video calls following her release from Russia while both Pier and their mother were recovering from COVID-19.

To Brittney, Pier is a full sister and one of her earliest playmates, representing a softer, more traditionally feminine presence in a household that otherwise leaned into sports and toughness.

Shkera Griner

Shkera Griner is Brittney’s half-sister, also born to their father Raymond Griner from his previous marriage, making her Decarlo’s full sister. She is roughly ten years older than Brittney and, like her siblings, has chosen to keep a low public profile despite her sister’s fame.

Shkera stepped into the spotlight briefly in 2022, during Brittney’s wrongful detention in Russia. She made a public and emotional appeal to the Joe Biden administration, urging officials to do “whatever necessary” to bring Brittney home safely, describing the ordeal as “totally gut-wrenching” for the entire family.

That intervention made her one of the more vocal Griner family members during the crisis, even though she typically stays out of the news. After Brittney’s release, Shkera was among the family members who reunited with her, an emotional moment Brittney later detailed in Coming Home.

To Brittney, Shkera is an older half-sister whose fierce advocacy during one of the darkest chapters of her life underscored just how protective the Griner family is of one another.

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