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It seems that in today’s world, sometimes it’s not just what you say that matters, but also what you don’t say.
The former coach of the star basketball player, Kim Mulkey, came under the spotlight of the American media for allegedly avoiding commenting on Griner’s difficult situation after being detained in Russia.
What actually happened? In the long months since the WNBA star’s arrest at a Moscow airport, her college coach has refused to provide public support for her former protégé, according to some US media.
Especially for those who witnessed it in Eastern Europe, it may remind them of the harshest years of communist rule, when the “red” authorities kept a close eye on what people say and don’t say about supporting the communist regime.
Mulkey, the longtime head women’s basketball coach at Baylor University in Texas who now coaches the LSU Tigers women’s team, appears to have been guilty of consistently avoiding commenting on Griner’s plight. However, this is not entirely true.
After the basketball superstar was sentenced to nine years in prison in Russia, for example, Insider.com made repeated attempts to contact Mulkey for comment. After several attempts by phone and email, however, it was clear that the three-time NCAA national championship coach had no intention of commenting on Griner’s fate. We soon find out that she did, but elsewhere and differently. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
Last Monday, Coach Mulkey stepped up to the microphone before the Tigers’ first practice of the upcoming season. Cory Diaz of The Lafayette Daily Advertiser asked her thoughts on Griner’s situation, noting that he hadn’t heard from her regarding her former star player. “And you won’t hear either,” retorted Mulkey curtly.
Several former Baylor players and other women’s basketball stars immediately took to social media to discuss the importance of “choosing college coaches wisely.”
However, following the press conference, an LSU team representative directed Insider to a 15-minute radio interview with the head coach from late June of this year. In it, Mulkey says she is following developments surrounding Griner, but won’t comment publicly on them because it’s a personal matter.
However, the interview also shows that the coach was quite clear about Griner’s situation. “I just want everyone to get home safely. I am praying for Brittney (Griner). I want her to be safe at home. I think a lot of people are speaking up for her, and those of us who don’t necessarily talk about it publicly are definitely praying for her,” the coach said.
During her four years playing under Mulkey in Waco, Texas, Griner reportedly had a strained relationship with her, especially in the final season. The 206cm lesbian player reportedly clashed with Mulkey over being open about her sexuality while at Baylor. The website claims that this is a school that until recently did not recognize LGBT requirements.
Griner complained about it shortly after she left school and joined the WNBA’s top league. Mulkey allegedly tried to discourage her from discussing her sexuality. This was allegedly so that some parents would not prevent their children from playing basketball for the very Christian, traditional Baylor.
Brittney Griner was detained in February at the airport in Moscow, where she flew to play in the top Russian league, because she was carrying hashish oil for a vaporizer in her suitcase. This is a criminal offense in Russia, and the basketball player also pleaded guilty in court. However, the US still maintains that she was detained unlawfully.
The second thing is that the Russian regime probably tolerated similar practices by foreign basketball stars in the past. But now, after the aggression against Ukraine, he used Griner as a political hostage against Washington.
