All eyes will be on Mercury star Brittney Griner as the WNBA season begins.
The former No. 1 overall pick made international headlines after spending 10 months in the Russian prison system, and her return to the U.S. in December was a relief for her teammates and fans as well as the basketball community. Now, Griner is ready to get back to basketball.
The Mercury have welcomed her back with open arms, and her return is expected to be a boost both on the court and in the locker room. A seven-time all-star, Griner is hoping to make up for lost time and pick up where she left off.
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Here's what you need to know about Griner's net worth, salary, and career earnings after a decade in the WNBA.
Brittney Griner net worth
Griner has an estimated net worth of $5 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
Though WNBA salaries are very low in comparison to NBA salaries, Griner has made money playing professionally overseas and has also been able to make money through endorsement deals.
Griner was a phenom coming out of Baylor in 2013, and while NIL deals were not possible at the time, she inked a $1 million deal with Nike shortly after being drafted by the Mercury.
Brittney Griner WNBA salary
Griner signed a one-year, $165,100 contract with the Mercury in the offseason. While detained in Russia, the WNBA announced Griner would be paid her full salary of nearly $228,000 for the 2022 season. 2022 marked the final year of a three-year, $644,544 contract for Griner.
Griner's WNBA salary paled in comparison to the salary she received while playing for UMMC Ekaterinburg in Russia. Her salary was believed to be in the range of $1 million annually.
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The gigantic increase is the reason so many WNBA players spend the offseason playing professionally overseas. Liberty star Breanna Stewart reportedly made $1.5 million playing for UMMC Ekaterinburg, though she now plays in Turkey after Griner's detainment.
Brittney Griner career earnings
Including this season's contract, Griner has made more than $1.5 million in WNBA salary over her decade in the league. She made north of $200,000 on her four-year rookie contract before inking a contract extension worth $554,000. The three-year, $644,544 deal that ended last year marked another pay increase for Griner.
Based on her $1 million salary in Russia before her detainment, Griner earned considerably more money playing overseas. She had played for UMMC Ekaterinburg since 2014.