via Getty
US WNBA basketball superstar Brittney Griner arrives to a hearing at the Khimki Court, outside Moscow on June 27, 2022. – Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medallist and WNBA champion, was detained at Moscow airport in February on charges of carrying in her luggage vape cartridges with cannabis oil, which could carry a 10-year prison sentence. (Photo by KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty Images)
via Getty
US WNBA basketball superstar Brittney Griner arrives to a hearing at the Khimki Court, outside Moscow on June 27, 2022. – Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medallist and WNBA champion, was detained at Moscow airport in February on charges of carrying in her luggage vape cartridges with cannabis oil, which could carry a 10-year prison sentence. (Photo by KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty Images)
WNBA star Brittney Griner was a college basketball icon. Before joining the league, she was dominating the college scene for the Baylor Lady Bears in Texas. She played college basketball for four years from 2009 to 13 and set multiple records during her time. Griner also led the team to a national championship in 2012. In addition, she won the NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player that year. Despite all her achievements and for the Bears, Griner did not share a close relationship with her coach at the time, Kim Mulkey.
Really? pic.twitter.com/ISJGuhUImE
— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) September 26, 2022
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After 21 years as head coach of the Baylor Bears, Mulkey became the head coach of LSU in 2021. Ever since Griner’s arrest in February, there have been no comments from Mulkey about her former player. Recently, she was asked about it. During an interview, Mulkey was reminded that she is yet to make any public remarks about Griner. ?And you won?t,? Mulkey said after a reporter said that he hasn’t heard her opinion on the Brittney Griner situation yet.
READ MORE – After Openly Snubbing Russia?s $1 Million+ Lure, American Legend Makes Heartfelt Brittney Griner Appeal
This comment from Griner’s former coach has caused quite a bit of stir on social media. Some former players of the Baylor Bears who played under Mulkey talked about the head coach’s comments on Griner.
Fans react to Mulkey’s silence about Brittney Griner
Queen Egbo, who played under Mulkey, issued a warning for future recruits and tweeted, “A player that built Baylor, 2 national titles, & a 40-0 record. Yet her former coach refuses to say anything or simply just show any kind of support. Keep that in mind when you?re choosing schools.”
A player that built Baylor, 2 national titles, & a 40-0 record. Yet her former coach refuses to say anything or simply just show any kind of support. Keep that in mind when you’re choosing schools.
— Queen (@QueenEgbo_) September 26, 2022
Similarly, former player of Mulkey, Chloe Jackson took to Twitter to show her response as well. Also, people from the sports world started to share their reactions on social media to Kim Mulkey’s response to her former player’s exile in Russia.
And I will say it again. SILENCE SPEAKS VOLUMES, smh.
— Chloe Jackson (@Clj_0) September 26, 2022
I reached out to LSU athletics when it was announced that Griner had been detained in Russia, they never responded.
— Matt Lively (@mattblively) September 26, 2022
And the world continues to spin. It’s like asking Geno Auriemma & Candace Parker to say nice things about each other.
It doesn’t matter if she coached BG and won a national title w/ her, there’s clearly bad blood there. Why this response comes as a surprise to anyone is weird. https://t.co/Z0QZvfWfTM
— BC (@MrCraw4D) September 27, 2022
Sincerely hope Dawn Staley allows her team score 200 on LSU https://t.co/Kxz1FodVnZ
— kwade (@KwadeSays) September 27, 2022
Kim Mulkey will tolerate Brittney Griner if she can lead Baylor to an epic 40-0 season. Support her in her greatest time of need? Nah. Brittney ain’t even human to her. https://t.co/xX26NTTYY4
— #StopCopCity (@ChuckModi1) September 26, 2022
This type of sh*t would make me not want to send my daughter to play for a woman like this. Let's you know that some care as long as you're doing something for THEM! (and before some racist thinks this about race & not morals, I'd feel the same way if she were black) https://t.co/Dlfmj5uh6L
— Mike Hill (@ItsMikeHill) September 26, 2022
she hates the people that play for her so much https://t.co/8XJg3CSNef
— Brian Floyd (@BrianMFloyd) September 26, 2022
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Dawn Staley is thisclose to leading a rescue squad over there to bust her out, but go ahead and keep sending your daughters to play for this one instead https://t.co/JnkKkAsuv3
— David Steele (@David_C_Steele) September 26, 2022
In 2013, the Phoenix Mercury selected Griner as the first overall pick of the WNBA draft. After joining the league, Griner publicly came out as gay. As per reports, Griner alleged that Mulkey discouraged Baylor players from being open about their sexuality for recruiting reasons. Even though Griner has informed the coach about her sexuality before joining the Bears, she was discouraged to be open about it.
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WATCH THIS STORY – Millionaire Brittney Griner?s Net Worth Compared With Fellow WNBA Legends Sue Bird and Sabrina Ionescu
However, the towering center admittedly only came to know about the school’s stance on LGBTQ issues later on. She once sent a tweet to a girlfriend of hers at the time which revealed her sexuality. And Griner claimed she received a call from coaching staff to take down the tweet immediately. However, she admitted the coaching staff and her teammates were welcoming of her sexuality.
