Brittany Griner Confronts Stephen A Smith On IG After He Revealed Her Real DNA Results

These things—like you can’t post anything like that on social media without it being detected. Whatever AI detection glanced over this thing did not flag it; they clearly thought, “Okay, this is just a man with their chest exposed.” Number two, you could possibly speculate, is Britney trans then? What’s the situation here? As we can see, this is the picture, right, Kelly? There aren’t any top surgery scars. The conspiracy theories reached new heights of sophistication during her Russian detention when elaborate narratives began circulating about alleged evidence of her biological sex. Social media users dissected old photos and videos claiming to have found proof that she was actually male. One particularly viral conspiracy theory suggested that she had been forced to live as a female from childhood due to her mother’s alleged mental illness, creating an entire fictional backstory to explain her success in women’s basketball. These conspiracy theories weren’t just harmless speculation; they had real-world consequences for Grryer’s safety and well-being. The persistent questioning of her gender identity contributed to harassment both online and in person, forcing her to constantly defend her very existence as a woman.

When Grryer was detained in Russia in 2022, this existing environment of gender-based harassment provided fertile ground for even more elaborate misinformation campaigns. Social media platforms were suddenly flooded with what appeared to be legitimate news reports claiming that Russian officials had ordered Grinder to take a DNA test to determine whether she should be placed in a male or female prison. The story spread like wildfire across Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram with thousands of users sharing what looked like an authentic CNN screenshot reporting this alleged development. The fabricated image appeared incredibly sophisticated, featuring CNN’s recognizable branding and professional layout. It claimed that Russian authorities had demanded genetic testing to determine Grryer’s biological sex, feeding into existing narratives about her physical appearance and gender identity. The post went viral within hours, shared by thousands who believed they were spreading legitimate news about a developing international incident. The DNA hoax served multiple purposes for those who created and spread it: it conditioned audiences to accept sensational claims about Grryer without proper verification; demonstrated how easily even sophisticated social media users could be manipulated when misinformation confirmed their existing biases about gender and sexuality; showed that false stories about Grryer could generate massive engagement and spread far beyond their original sources. Most crucially, it proved that even when thoroughly debunked, these false narratives could maintain a life of their own in certain corners of the internet.

But here’s where this story takes a sinister turn that would later influence Steven A. Smith’s controversial commentary. The date was June 6th, 2025, and Steven A. Smith was about to make the most catastrophic error of his illustrious career. Armed with his recent $100 million 5-year contract with ESPN, Smith had never been more influential or trusted by his massive audience. What happened next would shatter that trust and expose the dangerous vulnerabilities in our sports media ecosystem. The setting was the Value Tainment Podcast hosted by Patrick Bet David, known for provocative discussions and willingness to tackle controversial topics. Smith appeared confident and ready to deliver his trademark passionate commentary, completely unaware he was about to become the victim of one of the most sophisticated misinformation operations in sports media history—one that built directly upon the foundation of gender-based harassment laid over years of attacks on Grryer’s identity.

First things first, respectfully, Britney Grryer was in a Russian prison. You would think someone now free back in America on home soil would not have too much to complain about, especially something like this. According to Smith, Grryer had no right to complain about the hate she’s receiving, dismissing it as just fan behavior. Then he doubled down, bringing up the US government’s controversial prisoner swap and implying she should simply be grateful. Clearly, she’s not remembering who they let out to get her back—an American soul, the merchant of death, an arms dealer who wanted to kill American citizens. According to reports, that’s who they let out. For her, you would think she would be smiling, ecstatic, happy, and something like this wouldn’t phase her at all.

It was like throwing gasoline on a fire that had never really gone out. Here was someone who had endured a Russian prison and whose release cost the US one of the most dangerous arms dealers on the planet, now being painted as ungrateful for daring to call out harassment. But Smith’s comments weren’t just another quote—they were the result of years of targeted misinformation. Conspiracy theories about Grryer’s gender had been so widespread and relentless they managed to warp the thinking of even a seasoned media professional. The smear campaign had worked. It had created a world where questioning Grryer’s very humanity felt normal and denying her the right to speak out felt justified. The reaction to Smith’s comments was immediate and intense. Social media platforms erupted with responses ranging from enthusiastic support to sharp criticism. For many, Smith articulated frustrations they had been feeling but hadn’t been able to express with such clarity and passion. For others, his comments represented an unfair attack on someone who had already suffered enough.

For Britney Grryer, watching this unfold must have felt like being trapped in a nightmare. Here was one of the most powerful voices in sports media, spreading completely false information about her character based on words she had never spoken, thoughts she had never expressed, and attitudes she had never displayed. “We’re not going to stop fighting. We’re not going to stop bringing awareness to everyone that’s left behind right now. Coming back from basically doing nothing, not having any gym or anything to be at, getting back into it was hard,” she said. The real Britney Grryer, as revealed in her own words, was someone committed to fighting for others, someone who understood hardship and was working to overcome it. The contrast with the fictional character created by the fake quote couldn’t have been more stark.

Apart from her public clash with Steven A. Smith, Britney Grryer has often found herself at the center of conflicts and controversies both on and off the court. The WNBA Civil War: behind the scenes, professional women’s basketball erupted into chaos as internal tensions simmering for years finally exploded into public view, threatening to tear apart the very fabric of the league that Britney Grryer and her contemporaries had worked so hard to build. But to understand how we arrived at this explosive moment of leaguewide conflict, we need to examine the complex web of relationships, rivalries, and resentments building within the WNBA for years before Caitlyn Clark ever stepped foot on a professional court.

Caitlyn Clark and Angel Reese have been going back and forth, and J Hill said by the time Angel Reese is done, she’s going to be the Michael Jordan of the WNBA. She said that about Angel Reese—that by the time she retires, she would be the Michael Jordan of the WNBA. This declaration sent shock waves through the basketball community, igniting debates far beyond athletic comparisons. It wasn’t just about basketball prowess or stats; it was a statement challenging the established hierarchy and threatening to overshadow the arrival of the most polarizing rookie in WNBA history, Caitlyn Clark.

Brittany Grryer’s own career had been marked by controversies long before her detention in Russia. Her 2015 domestic violence incident with Glory Johnson had already established her as a polarizing figure within women’s basketball circles. The incident resulted in arrest for both players and eventual WNBA suspensions, painting a picture of someone whose personal life was as tumultuous as her professional career was dominant. Even during college, Grryer had shown a propensity for controversial moments—her 2010 punch of an opponent during a game at Baylor, resulting in a broken nose and immediate ejection, foreshadowed the intense scrutiny that would follow her throughout her career. These weren’t isolated incidents of poor judgment but part of a pattern that made her relationships with other players increasingly complex and fraught.

Grryer’s 2020 decision to protest the national anthem created significant tension within the league, dividing players along political and cultural lines. While some supported her stance on social justice issues, others felt her approach was unnecessarily divisive and potentially harmful to the league’s broader appeal and marketing efforts. The situation became even more complex with Caitlyn Clark’s arrival, whose immediate impact on WNBA viewership and attendance created an uncomfortable reality for veteran players who had been laboring in relative obscurity for years. Clark’s presence was literally changing the economics of the league, with ticket prices and television ratings reaching unprecedented levels whenever she took the court.

Tension reached a boiling point during games between Clark’s Indiana Fever and teams featuring other prominent players. The viral incident on May 24th, 2025, when Grryer was allegedly captured on video making derogatory comments about Clark after fouling out, represented the moment when private resentments exploded into public view. When asked about the viral moment, Grryer said, “You said you didn’t remember what you said after you fouled out against the Indiana Fever. A lot of people believe what you said was ‘effing white girl’ or ‘effing white girls.’ Is it possible that’s what you said?” She firmly denied it, stating, “No, would never say that. Like there’s no place for that in our league.”

Grryer’s firm denial of making racial comments revealed the pressure and scrutiny players were facing as every interaction became subject to viral dissection and public judgment. But her statement also revealed the reality that tensions between players had reached a level where such accusations seemed plausible to many observers. The conflict wasn’t limited to personalities; it reflected deeper structural issues within the WNBA that had been building for years. Players had long complained about pay disparity forcing many to play overseas during the offseason, creating situations where international commitments often took precedence over league loyalty and team chemistry.

The broader cultural and political dimensions of these conflicts couldn’t be ignored. Grryer’s identity as a Black lesbian athlete made her a target for political criticism and cultural warfare extending far beyond basketball. Her detention in Russia and subsequent release had politicized her existence, making every action subject to scrutiny through multiple lenses of interpretation. The intersection of race, sexuality, politics, and athletic performance created a toxic environment where players couldn’t simply focus on basketball. Every interaction, comment, and facial expression became subject to viral analysis and cultural interpretation, making genuine relationships and team chemistry increasingly difficult to maintain.

The cumulative effect of these factors—economic pressures, cultural tensions, political divisions, media scrutiny, and competitive rivalries—created an environment within the WNBA that was increasingly toxic and unsustainable. Players were forced to navigate not just athletic competition but complex webs of cultural and political expectations that had little to do with basketball itself. This web of controversies, conflicts, and cultural warfare surrounding players like Britney Grryer has fundamentally poisoned the actual game of basketball.

The transformation of professional women’s basketball from sport to cultural battlefield reached its apex during the 2025 season when the arrival of Caitlyn Clark and ongoing controversies surrounding established stars like Grryer created an atmosphere so charged with tension that actual games became almost unwatchable for those seeking pure athletic competition. Outside of that, RG3 came out and said, “Man, you know, Caitlyn Clark is a superstar and she’s bigger than life and all this stuff.” Ryan Clark, out of nowhere, responded, “What does RG3 know about this?” RG3, a former quarterback and great rookie, was suddenly drawn into WNBA controversies based on personal relationships and family dynamics.

The suggestion that RG3’s marriage to a white woman somehow disqualified him from commenting on WNBA racial dynamics revealed the toxic environment players navigated daily. But perhaps the most devastating impact of ongoing controversies was how they affected the quality of play on the court. Britney Grryer’s own admission about the psychological toll of constant scrutiny provided insight into how external pressures compromised athletic performance league-wide. She said, “Still a process… just the little things. Doing a plank, which