Former Baylor women's basketball coach Kim Mulkey drew fire from a pair of Bears alumnae after declining to speak about Brittney Griner being held in Russia on a drug charge. Queen Egbo and Chloe Jackson both called out Mulkey over her lack of support for Griner, a Baylor legend.
Griner played under Mulkey at Baylor from 2009 to 2013, and she powered the Bears to the national championship in 2012. That season, Griner was also named AP Player of the Year, and she was a three-time Big 12 Player of the Year for Baylor.
Mulkey, now the head coach at LSU, was asked to comment on Griner's situation. The reporter noted that he hadn't "seen anything from [her] on that."
"And you won't," Mulkey replied.
Not long after Mulkey made her comments, Egbo spoke out on Twitter and called out her former coach for turning on a player to whom she owes much of her success.
"A player that built Baylor, 2 [final fours], & a 40-0 record," Egbo tweeted. "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
Jackson went on social media and posted a very thinly veiled shot at Mulkey as well.
"And I will say it again," Jackson tweeted. "SILENCE SPEAKS VOLUMES, smh."
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
Current Baylor head coach Nicki Collen did provide a lengthy answer on Griner. While Collen never got to coach Griner, she does understand the impact that Griner had on the Baylor program.
"She was Baylor," Griner said. "I absolutely know there was a championship here before BG, but she made Baylor a household name."
Griner has been sentenced to nine years in Russian prison for packing cannabis oil in her luggage back in February. Since Griner was detained by Russian authorities, there has been a massive push from across the sports world to get her back to America.
