Louisiana State University coach Kim Mulkey has started a discussion around college recruiting and amateur sports after her latest no-comment answer. Mulkey, a Pro Basketball Hall of Famer, was asked by Cory Diaz if she had any thoughts on Brittney Griner‘s imprisonment in Russia.
“I wanted to get your thoughts on the Brittney Griner situation,” Diaz said. “I don’t think I’ve seen anything from you on that.”
“And you won’t,” Mulkey quickly responded.
Griner played for Mulkey from 2009-13 at Baylor University. The center was Mulkey’s star player for the team’s 2012 national championship squad, the second of three championships in Mulkey’s career. The star changed the game with two-hand in-game dunks and won National Player of the Year in 2012 and 2013.
Mulkey’s former Baylor players commented after Mulkey’s lack of comment.
“A player that built Baylor, 2 Final Fours and a 40-0 record,” former Baylor center Queen 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.”
LSU point guard Alexis Morris then responded to Egbo’s post in a now-deleted tweets.
“Kim never even liked you,” Morris tweeted. “You stay speaking on her.”
Another former Baylor player, Chloe Jackson, posted statements similar to Egbo’s.
“SILENCE SPEAKS VOLUMES. Smh,” Jackson tweeted. “#FREEBG.”
Morris then responded to Jackson in another deleted tweet.
“Silence does speak volumes,” Jackson posted. “Unlike the rest, Kim ain’t gotta speak to make boss moves.”
Egbo responded to Jackson’s defense of Mulkey in a now-deleted tweet.
“The person defending Mulkey the most, is also the same person Mulkey called a street thug, kicked off the team and degraded her when she was at her lowest,” Egbo tweeted. “But took her back when it was convenient for her. Make it make sense. Quit tweeting about me, fam.”
Jackson wished Egbo the best and told her to “put some shots up or something.”
Other players pitched in on the no-comment as well.
“It’s all a business shaking my head. Once you no longer benefit their lives, watch how they move after,” Washington Mystics center Shakira Austin tweeted. “Recruits, I don’t know what else to suggest besides just go overseas and be selfish.”
Amid the social media back-and-forth, someone posted a podcast clip of Mulkey discussing Griner.
“I keep [up] with it like you guys do as far as what’s in the national media,” she said. “I don’t make public comments about it. I think that’s a personal issue. You just want everyone to come home safely. I pray for Brittney. I want her home safely, I think there’s a lot of people speaking out on her behalf, and those of us who don’t necessarily speak out publicly about it are praying for her.”
🗣 Kim Mulkey speaks on the BG situation, people are really trying to create a narrative that she hadn’t said anything 😂 y’all got to be stopped. pic.twitter.com/dgd4vbtUUE
— 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝑩𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒓 (@letstalkbb1) September 27, 2022
