kim mulkey

Kim Mulkey Has Awkward Exchange with Media at Final Four Regarding Brittney Griner

Kim Mulkey forever will be attached to Brittney Griner, even during some of her greatest moments coaching another team.

Earlier this week, Mulkey and her LSU players were prepping for their first game against Virginia Tech at the NCAA Women’s Final Four in Dallas.

The third-seeded Tigers celebrating their upset of top-seeded Virginia Tech in the first semifinal at the Women’s Final Four. In a pre-game press conference, a reporter asked Kim Mulkey, the former Baylor coach, about Brittney Griner, her most famous player.

For anyone who hasn’t paid attention when the sports and political worlds collided last year, Griner got thrown into a Russian prison after police there found a small amount of cannibis oil in her suitcase. A Russian judge sentenced Griner, who plays professional basketball in the country, to nine years hard labor at a prison farm. The U.S. government negotiated for her release and Griner returned home in December.

The national sports press hasn’t had an opportunity to question Kim Mulkey about Brittney Griner.. So a reporter asked a question in the lead-up to Va Tech.

A reporter asked: “You talked about former players, you talked about Baylor, so I have to ask.”

Then Mulkey quickly responds: “You don’t have to ask. You choose to ask.”

The reporter explains: “yes, but it’s part of my job. Have you had any conversations or been in touch with B.G. since she was released?”

Mulkey answered: “No. But I’m glad she’s back. I’m glad she’s safe, she’s sound. I think everybody is. But no, I have not.”

Brittney Griner hugs Kim Mulkey after Baylor won the NCAA title. (Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

Kim Mulkey Got Major Criticism Over Comments about Brittney Griner Last Year

Kim Mulkey received all sorts of criticism last September, weeks before the season started, when a reporter asked her about Brittney Griner. At the time, Griner was seven months into her prison term. A reporter asked “I just want to get your thoughts on the Brittney Griner situation,” Diaz said. “I don’t think I’ve seen anything from you on that and just …” Mulkey didn’t let him finish. “And you won’t,” she said. “I’ll answer the first one for ya.”

Baylor, with Griner as its star player, won the NCAA title in 2012. Before the WNBA draft, Griner came out publicly as gay. Without mentioning her coach, Griner said she was encouraged to keep her sexuality a secret while playing at Baylor, a private school affiliated with the Baptist church.

On Friday night, Mulkey was all about her new job. She left Baylor two seasons ago. And now she has LSU in the national title game. Her star player is Angel Reese, aka “Bayou Barbie.”

The Tigers advanced thanks to their come-from-behind, 79-72 victory over Virginia Tech.