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Explaining Kim Mulkey’s complicated relationship with Brittney Griner

Brittney Griner and coach Kim Mulkey address the media after Baylor’s 2012 national championship win. (Ron Chenoy/USA TODAY Sports)

Since Brittney Griner was taken into Russian custody in February, basketball players and coaches around the world have offered their support for the WNBA star.

But one person has been absent from the outpouring of support: Kim Mulkey.

The conversation around Mulkey’s silence came to a head on Monday, after Cory Diaz, an LSU women’s basketball reporter for The Daily Advertiser, asked Mulkey to comment on Griner’s detainment in a press conference.

Diaz said that he had yet to hear Mulkey say anything about Griner.

“And you won’t,” the coach replied.

Griner was arrested in February in a Moscow-area airport for allegedly having hashish oil in her luggage. Since then, WNBA players such as Skylar Diggins-Smith and Breanna Stewart as well as coaches such as South Carolina’s Dawn Staley have spoken out and answered questions about Griner, emphasizing their desire to bring her home.

After Griner was convicted in August and sentenced to nine years in a penal colony for drug smuggling charges, Just Women’s Sports obtained a statement from Baylor, where Mulkey coached Griner from 2009-13.

“With the unsettling news of the verdict and sentencing of Brittney Griner, we continue to pray for her ongoing strength and safety throughout her detainment,” read the statement from the Baylor women’s basketball program. “We recognize the extraordinary complexity of this situation, yet we remain hopeful of the day she will again set foot on U.S. ground.”

JWS also reached out to LSU, but no comment was provided. An athletic department spokesperson said he would reach out if Mulkey decided to release a statement. She never did.

Though Mulkey said Monday that she wouldn’t comment on the ongoing situation, she did offer some insight to her silence on the Tiger Rag podcast back in June.

“Well I keep up with it, like you guys do as far as what’s in the National Media,” Mulkey said on the podcast. “I don’t make public comments. I think that is a personal issue. You just want everybody to come home safely, and I pray for Brittney. I want her home safely. I think there are lots of people speaking out on her behalf, and those of us who don’t necessarily speak publicly are praying for her.”

That is the only time Mulkey has offered any insight into her thought process on the Griner situation.

This isn’t the first time Mulkey has been embroiled in controversy regarding her statements about Griner. After Griner left Baylor in 2013 and was selected as the first overall pick by the Phoenix Mercury, information about the seemingly contentious relationship between the two came to light.

In a 2013 profile by ESPN’s Kate Fagan, Raymond Griner, Brittney’s father, stated that once Baylor lost to Louisville in the NCAA Tournament, Mulkey didn’t contact his daughter again.

“It’s about dollar signs,” Raymond told Fagan. “There’s nothing in it for Kim anymore, so she’s done with Brittney.”

Shakira Austin, current WNBA player and former Ole Miss standout, echoed that sentiment Monday in a tweet about the Mulkey press conference in which she declined to comment about Griner.

“It’s all business smh once you no longer benefit their lives watch how they move after. Recruits, idk what else to suggest besides just go overseas and be selfish,” she tweeted.

Queen Egbo, who played for Mukley from 2018-21, before Mulkey took the head coaching job at LSU, retweeted Austin’s statement, and she offered insight of her own with multiple tweets about Griner and Mulkey.

Perhaps the most pointed was a tweet in which she referenced the success Baylor and Mulkey had thanks to Griner.

“A player that built Baylor, 2 national titles & a 40-0 record,” Egbo wrote. “Yet her former coach refuses to say anything or simply just show any kind of support. Keep that in mind when choosing schools.”

Egbo, a 2022 WNBA All-Rookie selection of the Indiana Fever, later corrected her tweet to say “two Final Fours” rather than “two national titles,” as Baylor made the Final Four with Griner in 2010 and later won an NCAA championship with her in 2012.

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(Kevin Jairaj/USA TODAY Sports)

Fagan’s 2013 article revealed more tension between Griner and Mulkey, specifically in relation to Griner’s sexuality. Mulkey did not want Griner to talk about her sexuality while playing for the Bears, Griner said, though her being gay was an “open secret.”

During Griner’s playing career at Baylor, Mulkey was outwardly supportive of her star center. She even addressed the hate Griner received online during a 2012 NCAA Tournament press conference, stating that Griner was a “human being.”

Fagan’s article about Griner can be marked as the start of Mulkey choosing not to address controversy surrounding Griner.

The coach declined an interview for the story, though she later released a statement to Fagan through a spokesperson which said: “Brittney Griner represented Baylor University proudly on and off the basketball court, and she leaves behind an incredible legacy. I cannot comment on personal matters surrounding any of our student-athletes, but I can tell you Brittney will always be a celebrated member of the Baylor family.”

After the story was published, Fagan said Mulkey reached out to ESPN, her employer at the time, asking for Fagan to be fired. Mulkey allegedly claimed Fagan “forced” Griner into making statements for the article.

While several of Mulkey’s former players, including Egbo and NaLyssa Smith, have been critical of their former coach, current LSU player Alexis Morris was firm in her support of Mulkey on Twitter.

Morris tweeted that the “ball was in Russia’s court,” and “them people told us to be quiet or they won’t do the trade,” before later tweeting, “I’m saying God is in control and this is bigger than you, me and Kim.”

Morris also pinned a tweet in which she offered support for Griner, stating the following: “No matter what. It’s forever #FreeBG, until it’s backwards.”

Morris played for Mulkey at Baylor during the 2017-18 season, but was dismissed from the squad following an arrest for allegedly assaulting another woman. Morris was then arrested again in December of 2017 in Beaumont, Texas, for “marijuana possession and possession of a dangerous substance.”

Since then, Morris bounced around, playing at Rutgers and then Texas A&M before getting a second chance with her former coach. She transferred to LSU in 2021 after Mulkey took the helm for the Tigers.

Boxing Champion Katie Taylor Takes Third Straight Win Over Amanda Serrano

Katie Taylor fights against Amanda Serrano during their 2025 bout at Madison Square Garden.
With Friday's win, Taylor retains her IBF, WBA, WBC, WBO, and Ring super lightweight titles. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images for Netflix)

Undisputed super lightweight champion Katie Taylor defeated Amanda Serrano in the boxing legends' third-straight fight on Friday, winning the highly-anticipated rematch by majority decision.

In front of 19,721 fans in Madison Square Garden, Taylor capped the pair's rivalry just over three years after meeting in the first-ever women's headliner fight at the iconic New York venue.

"I can't believe that this is my life," said Taylor after the clash. "I'm headlining the show at Madison Square Garden. I'm looking back on the whole journey. What an absolute, what an amazing life. These are nights that I dreamed of as a kid and sitting here again as a winner. I'm so happy, so grateful."

While the 39-year-old Irishwoman retained her world championship titles in the bout, Taylor had to battle as the 36-year-old Puerto Rican, who holds world titles in over four weight classes, kept the 30 rounds tight.

While Taylor ultimately took home top honors, Most Valuable Promotions co-founder and CEO Nakisa Bidarian, whose company presented the Friday event, made it clear that "Nobody lost tonight."

The night's biggest winner was the sport itself, as Taylor and Serrano's third and final contest led an all-women's card with 17 world titles on the table — a historic moment that Taylor does not take for granted.

"We created history together three times," Taylor said about Serrano. "My name will always be embedded with hers forever. I'm very, very happy about that."

"What we've been able to create over these last few years has been unbelievable," she continued. "It's amazing to have a rival like that in the sport. And this has brought [the world to] an event like this tonight, an all-female card, because of what myself and Amanda have been able to do to produce over the last few years."

Iga Świątek Makes History With 2025 Wimbledon Championship Win

Iga Świątek poses holding her 2025 Wimbledon trophy.
Świątek earned her sixth Grand Slam title by dominating Saturday's 2025 Wimbledon final. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

New world No. 3 tennis star Iga Świątek won her first Wimbledon Championship on Saturday, needing only 57 minutes to dominate US finalist No. 7 Amanda Anisimova 6-0, 6-0 to top the 2025 London Slam.

To date, Świątek has never lost a Grand Slam final.

Saturday's title is the 24-year-old's first tournament win this season and the sixth Grand Slam trophy of her career alongside her four French Open wins and her 2022 US Open victory.

Świątek is now the first woman to win Wimbledon without dropping a single game in the final in over 100 years, with Saturday's performance joining only Dorothea Lambert Chambers's 1911 London title win over Dora Boothby in that elite club.

Even more, Świątek and legendary German star Steffi Graf are now the only women's players to win a Slam by a perfect 6-0, 6-0 scoreline in the Open Era, with Graf doing so at the 1988 French Open.

"[It's] pretty surreal," said Świątek afterwards. "I'm just proud of myself because... who would have expected that?!"

With grass proving to be one of the trickiest surfaces in the modern calendar, Świątek is now the eighth straight first-time Wimbledon women's champion, and the first to hail from Poland.

"Today I just wanted to enjoy the time that I had on the Centre Court and enjoy the last hours of me playing well on grass, because who knows if it's going to happen again," she said. "I just focused on that, and I really had fun."

While Świątek celebrates, the tennis world will now switch back to the hardcourt — many players' preferred surface — as the 2025 US Open kicks off next month to wrap up the Grand Slam calendar.

Chicago Sky Look to Upset WNBA-Leading Minnesota Lynx in Second Straight Game

Chicago Sky star Angel Reese and Minnesota Lynx leader Napheesa Collier look on during a 2025 WNBA game.
The Chicago Sky will play the Minnesota Lynx in the pair's second straight game on Monday. (Daniel Bartel/Getty Images)

Fresh off a banner win against the No. 1 Minnesota Lynx on Saturday, the No. 10 Chicago Sky have a shot at a second straight victory over the league leaders as this week's WNBA action tips off.

The upstart Sky handed the Lynx just their fourth loss of the 2025 season on Saturday, snagging the 87-81 victory behind guard Ariel Atkins's game-leading 27 points.

"Somebody said we aren't the best young core in the league — I think we're the best, for sure," Chicago forward Angel Reese said after notching her eighth-straight double-double in Saturday's win. "We do it every single night."

After suffer two of their four losses within the last week, Minnesota will be hunting redemption, as the Lynx faces both teams who bested them before the league breaks for the 2025 WNBA All-Star weekend — starting with the Sky:

  • No. 1 Minnesota Lynx vs. No. 10 Chicago Sky, 8 PM ET on Monday (WNBA League Pass): In front of another Chicago crowd, Minnesota will look to avenge their weekend loss and maintain their multi-game lead in the WNBA standings as the league races toward its midway point.
  • No. 2 Phoenix Mercury vs. No. 8 Golden State Valkyries, 10 PM ET on Monday (WNBA League Pass): Following an extended road trip, the Valkyries will tip off their first July home game on Monday, as the always-impressive Golden State crowd will try to boost them above the WNBA's No. 2 team.

Top Teams Advance as 2025 Euro Locks In Field for Quarterfinals

France attacker Delphine Cascarino celebrates a goal in the final 2025 Euro group stage match.
France led the "Group of Death" with nine points in three games. (MIGUEL MEDINA/AFP via Getty Image)

Last weekend solidified the 2025 Euro quarterfinals, as eight of the region's top teams escaped a competitive group stage to sit just three wins away from becoming European Champions.

World No. 16 Norway emerged as the Group A winner with three straight wins, with host No. 23 Switzerland joining them by advancing from the Euro group stage for the first time in history.

The Swiss booked their quarterfinal spot thanks to a last-gasp goal by midfielder Riola Xhemaili in Thursday's 1-1 draw with No. 26 Finland, giving them a narrow goal differential to advance in Group A's second place.

Speaking of goal differential, No. 2 Spain cruised through by outscoring their opponents 14 to three in their trio of Group B wins.

Despite falling 3-1 to La Roja on Friday, No. 13 Italy secured their position in the 2025 Euro quarterfinals with four groups points — just ahead of No. 20 Belgium's three points.

Though Group C's frontrunners advanced before taking the pitch for their final first-round match, No. 6 Sweden handed second-place No. 3 Germany their largest defeat in tournament history on Saturday, dominating the Germans 4-1 and raising the stakes entering this week's knockouts.

Elsewhere, a dramatic opening round saw the Group D leaders more than survive the "Group of Death," as both stage-winners No. 10 France and No. 5 England emphatically booked their quarterfinal spots with massive victories on Sunday.

While the defending Euro champs staged a 6-1 goal-fest against UK rivals No. 30 Wales to advance, Les Bleues overcame a 2-1 halftime deficit to sink the No. 11 Netherlands 5-2 on Sunday, taking the lead with an astounding three goals in six minutes — including a brace from San Diego Wave attacker Delphine Cascarino.

How to watch the 2025 Euro quarterfinals

The eight quarterfinalists have a short break to celebrate and prepare, as their 2025 Euro slate is wiped clean before the knockouts begin on Wednesday.

Each 2025 Euro quarterfinal will take the pitch on consecutive days, with all matches kicking off at 3 PM ET:

  • Wednesday: No. 16 Norway vs. No. 13 Italy
  • Thursday: No. 6 Sweden vs. No. 5 England
  • Friday: No. 2 Spain vs. No. 23 Switzerland
  • Saturday: No. 10 France vs. No. 3 Germany

Live coverage will air across Fox Sports platforms.

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