Ex Baylor Coach Kim Mulkey Receives Backlash From Former Players For Brittney Griner Silence
Baylor Bears women's basketball is set to begin the 2022-23 season on Monday, Nov. 7 at home against Lamar.
Heavy on the minds of many in Waco headed into the season is on the verdict that former Baylor star and current Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner received from a Russian court on Aug. 4 that sentenced her behind bars in the country for nine years for allegedly possessing illegal cannabis oil at the Moscow airport back in February.
Griner issued a guilty plea to a Russian court on July 7 and also included an ask for mercy from the judge. Griner claimed that, while she did commit the crime, she did so inadvertently.
But apparently, this isn't of any concern of Griner's former Baylor coach Kim Mulkey, who is heading into her second season as the head coach of the LSU Tigers.
"I don't think I've seen anything from you on that," a reporter asked Mulkey Monday in regards to the Griner situation.
"And, you won't," Mulkey said.
Current Baylor coach Nicki Collen, on the other hand, has had quite a different approach.
Mulkey, who served as Baylor's head coach for 22 years until her departure for LSU in 2021, coached Griner for all four of her collegiate seasons from 2009-13.
Griner was arguably the best player in women's college basketball during this time, and helped put Baylor women's basketball on the map, causing some of Mulkey's former players to call her out on social media for not being in support of Griner.
Former Baylor center Queen Egbo took to Twitter:
"A player that built Baylor, 2 (Final Fours), & 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," she wrote.
Former Bears guard Chloe Jackson chimed in:
"And I will say it again. SILENCE SPEAKS VOLUMES," she tweeted.
Griner was the No. 1 overall pick in 2013. As a WNBA Champion, eight-time All-Star, and Olympic gold medalist, she's started all 254 games in her WNBA career while averaging 17.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 2.8 blocks on 56 percent shooting.
In four seasons in Waco, Griner's performance made her into one of the best college basketball players of all time. She led Baylor to an overall record of 106-5 during her final three years, which included a 40-0 finish in 2011-12. She averaged 22 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and an astounding 5.1 blocks per game during her collegiate career.
You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7
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