Washed Up and Under Investigation, Brittney Griner Faces Backlash After Heated Referee Clash and Disastrous Game Performance

September 17, 2026

This article was last updated by Alisha Shrestha on September 17, 2026

WNBA star Brittney Griner is not banned from the league. However, the league is investigating her recent misconduct incident with the referee in the July 2026 game against the Dallas Wings.

Brittney Griner is currently in the news following her disappointing performance at the recent Atlanta Dream vs Indiana Fever match. Fans and analysts have criticized her performance, leaving remarks like “Griner is washed up” and “Griner should retire.”

Meanwhile, some have pointed out that Indiana’s Brianna Turner played exceptionally well against Griner.

Beyond Her Remarkable Achievements, Brittney Griner Is Also Famous For Having a Fair Share of Controversies

Born on October 18, 1990, Brittney Griner is a WNBA star who plays for the Atlanta Dream and Phantom BC of Unrivaled. The ten-time WNBA All-Star was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine in 2026.

However, her remarkable achievements and stardom have also drawn significant attention to her personal life and choices. Even a small misstep can have substantial consequences, and Griner has, at times, developed a controversial public image.

Recently, in July 2026, Griner made headlines for during the Atlanta Dream‘s game against the Dallas Wings. During the game, she tried to grab the ball after a missed shot. The referee, Angelica Suffren, called a foul on her, ruling that she broke a rule.

However, Griner disagreed with the referee’s foul call and argued with her using strong language and some NSFW words. After the first technical foul, Griner kept arguing with the referee, even physically bumping her. This physical altercation earned her a second technical and an ejection.

Brittney Griner ejection

— TimeoutSPORTS__ (@TimeoutSPORTS3)

Even though she had to leave, her team still won the game by a close score of 88-85. As of now, the WNBA is reviewing the incident because physical contact with officials is a serious matter in sports.

While in most leagues, touching a referee can lead to automatic discipline, there is no clear precedent for suspending a player for bumping a referee in the WNBA. There is speculation that Griner could face a fine or a suspension.

Brittney Griner's behavior was inexcusable. The WNBA should suspend her.

— Outsports (@outsports)

Meanwhile, Commissioner Cathy Engelbert stated that officiating needs improvement and also emphasized that referees need review and training. Nonetheless, this is not the first time Griner has caught attention for her unprofessional behavior. She has had controversies before, including fouling out and making comments during a Dream vs. Indiana Fever game earlier this season.

Furthermore, in 2015, she and her then-wife, Glory Johnson, were each suspended for . Similarly, Griner also received a three-game suspension in 2019 for a separate incident.

One of the most significant controversies that Griner has had was her arrest at Sheremetyevo Airport near Moscow on February 17, 2026, after the Federal Customs Service discovered vape cartridges containing less than a gram of hash oil in her luggage.

Although Griner had a prescription for medical cannabis in Arizona, she was sentenced to 9 years in prison and fined about 1 million rubles because cannabis is illegal in Russia.

Moreover, the timing was sensitive because the U.S. had imposed sanctions on Russia over the invasion of Ukraine. Therefore, some officials feared she might be used as a political pawn or high-profile hostage. Fortunately, despite a harsh 9-year sentence, she was released after 10 months through a high-profile prisoner swap.

Although the current situation with the referee,  Angelica Suffren, during the July 2026 game is severe, it does not warrant a lifetime ban. The WNBA has not issued any permanent ban against Griner and is currently reviewing the incident. Hence, the league would determine disciplinary actions against Griner based on its findings.

As of now, Brittney Griner remains a member of the Atlanta Dream and recently played the match against the Indiana Fever.

Additional Information

  • Brittney Griner’s father, Raymond Griner, is a Harris County deputy sheriff and a two-tour veteran of the Vietnam War.
  • Griner came out as a lesbian in an interview with SI.com on February 11, 2013.
  • Her current wife, Cherelle Watson, gave birth to a boy, whom they named Bash, in 2026.
  • Check other Articles on

As a content writer at Players Bio, Rimsha Khatri's primary goal is to write well-researched news articles about athletes and sports. She prioritizes leveraging her literary abilities and creative flair to deliver entertaining and highly informative content to readers and subscribers.

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