Kim Mulkey Says Nothing At 2022 SEC Media Days
Our parents have told us not to say anything if we can’t say something nice. I’m sure that LSU Coach Kim Mulkey knows this which is why she won’t comment on her former player, Brittany Griner. However, two of Mulkey’s ex-players who played at Baylor spoke out against Mulkey because she opted not to answer questions about Griner’s detainment in Russia and the media jumped on.
Brittany Griner
Brittany Griner is a former Baylor player of Mulkey and is a current WNBA All-Star for the Phoenix Mercury. In the WNBA offseason, Griner plays in the Russian professional basketball league. As Russia got ready to invade Ukraine, Griner’s story came to light. She was detained back in February in Russia for having a vape pen containing hashish oil in her luggage.
Griner decided with her legal representation to plead guilty to drug charges in July. She was sentenced to nine years in prison after being convicted of smuggling drugs with criminal intent. Griner was fined 1 million rubles which is currently around $16,500. She is currently appealing the decision while the United States looks into a prisoner exchange with Russia. Griner has an estranged relationship with her former coach, Kim Mulkey.
Kim Mulkey
Mulkey is now the Louisiana State University Women’s College Basketball Coach in the SEC. She no longer has anything to do with Baylor Women’s Basketball. Since Monday was the start of college basketball season, Coach Mulkey did not want to talk about former player Brittany Griner. She wanted to talk about her current team at LSU.
Mulkey was the Baylor Women’s College Basketball coach from 2001-2021, so it makes sense why reporters would ask for her thoughts about Griner on LSU’s media day. Her record with the Griner-led Baylor teams was 135-15 including going 40-0 while winning the 2012 national championship.
The Estrangement
Brittany Griner stated that she told Kim Mulkey that she was gay while being recruited to come to Baylor. Mulkey told her that it wasn’t a problem. She came out as gay in the cover story of Sports Illustrated in February 2013.
It has been said that after Griner was selected number one in the May 2013 WNBA draft, she told ESPN that her coach wanted the Baylor players to not be open about their sexuality. She said it was mostly for recruitment purposes since parents wouldn’t let their kids come to Baylor if it seemed like they were condoning it.
Griner Asked About
Kim Mulkey has not offered any public comments concerning Brittany Griner’s situation. Cory Diaz of The Daily Advertiser asked her for her thoughts about Griner and he mentioned that he hadn’t seen any past comments from Mulkey.
“And you won’t,” Mulkey stated while cutting off the reporter’s question.
Mulkey has yet to comment about Griner and it sounds like she doesn’t plan to at all. However, the media wanted to talk about this to stir up more publicity for the politicians to get Griner out. Is this fair for the LSU women’s college basketball players that their season may not be the total focus? No way! Let’s get ready for college basketball.