Baylor Retires Brittney Griner’s No. 42 Jersey Over a Decade After National Title Win

Baylor University has decided to retire Brittney Griner’s jersey, honoring her by raising the No. 42 jersey to the rafters at Foster Pavilion in Waco. The jersey retirement ceremony will take place on Feb. 18 when Baylor hosts Texas Tech. Griner, a standout player for the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA, played a pivotal role in guiding Baylor to two Final Four appearances and an undefeated national championship before being selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 WNBA Draft.

“I feel a deep sense of honor to come back to Baylor and commemorate the place where a significant part of my journey began,” Griner expressed in a statement. “I appreciate Coach Nicki Collen, the entire Baylor community, and eagerly anticipate the chance to return to campus. I look forward to spending time with the team and having my family by my side to partake in this remarkable moment. Sic ‘Em Bears.”

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Griner stands as one of Baylor’s most exceptional athletes, amassing impressive statistics during her collegiate career. With 3,283 points and 1,305 rebounds, she currently ranks fourth in all-time Division I women’s basketball scoring and holds the NCAA career record for blocked shots with 748. Griner played a pivotal role in Baylor’s success, leading the team to two Final Four appearances and an undefeated 40-0 season, clinching the national championship during her junior year.

Despite her remarkable contributions, Griner’s relationship with the university has been strained since her departure, primarily due to conflicts with former head coach Kim Mulkey, who has since moved on to LSU. The tumultuous relationship between Griner and Mulkey, marked by a falling out towards the end of Griner’s college career, became apparent. Griner publicly came out as gay before the 2013 WNBA Draft, revealing that she was advised to keep her sexuality private at Baylor, a private Baptist university. Mulkey had insisted that Griner’s jersey wouldn’t be retired until she completed her Baylor degree, which she accomplished in 2019.

Their relationship garnered renewed attention when Griner faced detainment in Russia for almost a year in 2022. During this period, Mulkey was questioned about Griner and chose not to discuss the matter, later issuing a brief statement upon Griner’s release. Mulkey, who coached at Baylor for 21 seasons, is currently in her third season at LSU.

Under the leadership of head coach Nicki Collen, Baylor has decided to retire Griner’s jersey in Waco. This marks a significant recognition for Griner, making her the seventh women’s player in the program’s history to have her jersey retired.

Expressing her views on the decision, Coach Collen stated, “Since my arrival at Baylor, I have been advocating for the retirement of Brittney’s jersey. I wanted to ensure that this deserving honor took place at the right moment. With the inauguration of Foster Pavilion and the WNBA offseason aligning with our season, it felt like the opportune time to pay tribute to Brittney and welcome her back home. She stands as one of the finest basketball players in Baylor’s history, and we are delighted that the time has come to celebrate Brittney and all her achievements.”