Phoenix Mercury star Brittney Griner is back on the basketball court after she missed all of last season while detained in Russia. Griner expressed interest in continuing her career once she was released from prison, and the Mercury made it clear they wanted the nine-time WNBA all-star to return to the team.
Griner was viewed as a phenom after a tremendous career at Baylor. He size and skill set made her the clear top prospect in the WNBA Draft when she became eligible in 2013.
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Griner’s size has helped her become a terrific rebounder and shot blocker, to go along with being a keen scorer.
Here’s what you need to know about Griner’s height and where she stands among the tallest players in WNBA history.
MORE: Timeline of Brittney Griner’s arrest in Russia, detainment, return to U.S.
How tall is Brittney Griner?
Griner is one of the tallest players in WNBA history at 6-9. Only three players in league history have a higher recorded height: The late Margo Dydek (7-2), Bernadett Hatar (6-10) and Han Xu (6-10). That makes Griner the second-tallest active player in the WNBA at the moment, behind only Han.
Griner takes advantage of her height by being a premier rebounder and shot blocker. She came into the season averaging 7.6 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game since entering the league.
Griner is one of four players in WNBA history with at least 700 blocks. She entered the 2023 season six blocks shy of passing Sylvia Fowles for third on the all-time list.
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Tallest players in WNBA history
Griner stands as the fourth-tallest player in WNBA history and the second-tallest active player. The late Margo Dydek is the only 7-footer in WNBA history, and no one else has come very close.
Here is a list of WNBA players with a recorded height of 6-8 or taller.
Player | Height |
Margo Dydek | 7-2 |
Bernadett Hatar | 6-10 |
Han Xu | 6-10 |
Brittney Griner | 6-9 |
Liz Cambage | 6-8 |
Maria Stepanova | 6-8 |
Lindsay Taylor | 6-8 |
Razija Brcaninovic | 6-8 |
Zheng Haixia | 6-8 |
Katie Mattera | 6-8 |