100 Women We Love: Brittney Griner

The three-time All-American, Associated Press Player of the Year, and Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four from Baylor University made headlines when she came out this past April. "[I] am just happy to tell my truth and to be in a position to encourage others to do the same," she wrote in The New York Times. Standing at 6' 8" with a wingspan measuring over seven feet long, Griner has endured harassment and slurs since childhood. "People called me a dude and said there was no way I could be a woman. Some even wanted me to prove it to them." The only things Griner has proven over the years is that she is one of the best women's basketball players the N.C.A.A. has ever seen, and that her inner strength matches her physical strength. Coming out was journey that took "a long time," but now she feels, "It’s all about living an honest life and being comfortable in your own skin." A top WNBA draft pick, Griner recently joined the Phoenix Mercury and signed an endorsement deal with Nike. –DN