Connecticut Sun center Brittney Griner is ending things with her wife of eight years – just 23 days after her wife posted smiling family photos. In a social media post from July 1, which has now resurfaced, Cherelle Griner, Brittney’s estranged wife, posted a series of pictures and videos, including some of the WNBA Champion and herself, as well as of intimate family moments.  The timing of the post has raised some questions.

This post was made a few weeks before the couple was officially separated on July 24. An X post by TMZ elaborated on the matter.

“Brittney Griner’s Wife Posted Smiling Family Photos Weeks Before Divorce”

Cherelle Griner’s happy post about her family came on her birthday, July 1, but this year was not as happy as she’d expected, with her wife, 10-time WNBA All-Star, filing for divorce on July 30 in Fulton County, Georgia. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution was the first to break the story. 

The report also stated that the marriage was “irretrievably broken,” as filed in the divorce proceedings by the 2013 first overall WNBA pick. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that the divorce filings included certain clauses from Griner. The WNBA star demanded “an equitable division of all marital assets” as well as being “awarded her separate, nonmarital property, including but not limited to inherited property as well as premarital property.” 

The pair had initially met at Baylor University, where Brittney Griner played basketball before the W. Cherelle graduated a year after Griner, with a degree in political science and government, according to PEOPLE magazine. The couple got married in August 2018 and have a two-year-old son named Bash.

Cherelle, who is a lawyer by profession, was one of the primary voices that spoke out for Griner’s release when she was imprisoned in Russia since February 17, 2022. Cherelle actively called upon the U.S. government to work towards freeing Griner. Due to their collaborative efforts, the Sun center was finally released on December 8, 2022. On Griner’s release, Cherelle spoke to PEOPLE magazine. 

“I had thought about that moment a thousand times, and I thought I would be full of tears,” she said back in 2022. “But I was overwhelmingly happy. It was the first time I was able to finally exhale, and I’m like, ‘Oh, thank God, this is such a great day.'” 

Despite their storied history together, their marriage has not endured. While neither party has been available for comment on the matter, Brittany Griner’s attorney, Randall Kessler, provided a brief assessment in an email to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

“This is a matter we hope the parties can resolve privately. There is no further comment at this time.”

Apart from her personal life, Brittney Griner’s Connecticut Sun are not in the best shape either. They hold the second-worst record in the league, 7-22, followed only by the Seattle Storm with 6-25. As Griner moves to the next part of her personal life, fans will hope for a revival of her career-best 2017 season, when she was averaging 21.9 points per game.