When you think of the name Griner, the first image that likely comes to mind is Brittney Griner, the WNBA superstar and Olympic gold medalist.
But a lesser common name is DeCarlo Griner, her half-brother, who’s often hidden in Brittney’s 6’9” shadow. Today, we’re taking DeCarlo out of that shadow.
Early Life
As usual, let’s take it from the start. DeCarlo Griner was born in Houston, Texas. He was the eldest of Raymond Griner’s four children from previous relationships, making him Brittney’s half-brother, with a significant age gap of around 17 years.
However, despite their age difference, their relationship remained on good terms, and that showed well in 2022 when Britteny was detained in Russia. He was
The Griner family valued hard work above all else, which is why DeCarlo’s upbringing was rooted in blue-collar values.
DeCarlo Griner’s Work Life
Okay, a quick disclaimer, there isn’t much to highlight in Decarlo’s career. His career path is the antithesis of his sister’s. There are no endorsement deals or championship rings here. He worked as a mechanic, truck driver, laborer on oil rigs, and even a pool installer, but nothing groundbreaking.
While this looks like what an ordinary person would do, young Brittney was actually inspired by her brother. In her memoir, In My Skin, she wrote about idolizing her older brother.
She admired his motorcycle, his tough demeanor, and his hands-on competence. So much so that she developed an interest in cars and got tattoos, consciously emulating him.
Their father, however, saw a “wild” streak in DeCarlo and the occasional trouble that came with it. He famously used DeCarlo’s experiences as a cautionary tale for Brittney and her sister, Pier, telling them, “There’s no bail money for y’all because your brother used it up. So you’d better not end up in jail, because you’ll be stuck there.”
DeCarlo Griner’s Bond With Brittney
It’s pretty common nowadays for most forms of support to be vocal or through social media, but that wasn’t the case with DeCarlo when his sister needed him, like, not at all.
This showed during the darkest period of Brittney’s life: her 2022 detention in Russia. When she was finally released in December of that year, DeCarlo didn’t issue a statement.
Instead, he silently bought a ticket, got on a plane, and flew to an Antonio military base where she was recuperating. He didn’t even book a return flight; he stayed for as long as she needed him.
I like to think that his laid-back, sometimes goofy sense of humor was exactly what she needed at the time.
Another, somewhat less significant but also prominent event was when Brittney came out as gay in high school, which is often a vulnerable moment for people.
DeCarlo’s reaction was famously simple and accepting. He reportedly shrugged and joked, “It ain’t no thang,” immediately disarming the tension that usually comes with such things.
DeCarlo Griner’s Personal Life
DeCarlo Griner is intensely, almost annoyingly private. There are no public records of him being married or having children, and he actively avoids the media spotlight.
What little we know comes through Brittney’s anecdotes: a man with a “goofy sense of humor.” But has that goofy attitude attracted someone’s heart yet? We don’t know.
DeCarlo Griner Net Worth
As of the most recent information available, DeCarlo Griner maintains a notably private life, and his current specific occupation is not publicly documented. Accordingly, his current net worth is also not disclosed, and there isn’t even an estimate for now.
Before We Let You Go
It’s not easy to find public information about DeCarlo Griner. If anything, most of the information anyone has about him was obtained from his sister, Brittney.
We do know that his career is more in blue-collar work, but where he works now, how much he makes, or how much he’s worth isn’t known to anyone at the moment.
In other words, despite being related to a celebrity, DeCarlo is as normal a person as it gets, and there’s no shame in that.
Featured image source: Google
