Baylor to Retire Brittney Griner's Jersey Amid Controversy Over Media Coverage of Her Detainment in Russia
Griner's No. 42 will be the seventh jersey retired by the Baylor women's program, following a decade of strained relations with the university and her release from a Russian prison in 2022.
- Baylor University is set to retire Brittney Griner's No. 42 jersey on February 18, 2024, during a game against Texas Tech. Griner is one of the most decorated athletes in Baylor's history, having led the team to a perfect 40-0 national championship season in 2011-12.
- Griner's jersey retirement comes after a decade of strained relations with the university and former coach Kim Mulkey, who insisted that players must have graduated for their jersey to be retired. Griner completed her degree in education at Baylor in 2019.
- Griner was detained in Russia in February 2022 on drug charges after being found with cannabis vape cartridges in her luggage. She was sentenced to nine years in prison but was released in December 2022 as part of a high-profile prisoner exchange between the U.S. and Russia.
- Some media outlets have been criticized for not fully covering the details of Griner's detainment in Russia, focusing instead on her achievements and the upcoming jersey retirement.
- Griner's No. 42 will be the seventh jersey retired by the Baylor women's program, joining two of her former teammates, Odyssey Sims and Melissa Jones.
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