The Baylor Bears have retired Brittney Griner‘s No. 42 jersey in a heartfelt ceremony that pays tribute to the former star player.
Brittney Griner will always hold a significant place in Baylor Bears history. The women’s basketball team retired Griner’s No. 42 on Sunday at the Ferrell Center in Waco, Texas, commemorating a special moment for one of college basketball’s most outstanding players.
Brittney Griner was visibly moved as a banner displaying her number was revealed, prompting a surprised reaction as she covered her mouth. She then expressed her appreciation to the audience by gesturing when they applauded. “I was simply overwhelmed with emotion,” Griner shared with ESPN during the Bears’ game against Texas Tech. “I couldn’t help but be emotional when I witnessed the jersey going up.”
Current Baylor coach Nicki Collen stood beside Brittney Griner, adorned in a gold jacket with Griner’s No. 42 and Nike sneakers featuring the same digits on the toes. The two shared a hug during the pregame ceremony.
Reporter Tyler DeLuca noted that Griner’s former Phoenix Mercury coach Sandy Brondello, now with the New York Liberty, was also in attendance at the event.
To mark the occasion, the school distributed illustrated BG posters and No. 42 T-shirts. A “Dunk Like BG” contest took place at halftime, with Griner participating in the festivities.
Griner now joins an elite group as the seventh women’s basketball player to have her number retired by Baylor.
“I am deeply honored to return to Baylor and commemorate where my incredible journey began,” said Griner in a statement last month when the jersey retirement ceremony was announced. “I am grateful for Coach Nicki (Collen) and the entire Baylor community for this opportunity to revisit the campus, spend time with the team, and have my family with me to share in this special moment. Sic ‘Em Bears.”
During Griner’s junior year in 2012, the Bears clinched the NCAA championship after an undefeated 40-0 season. Brittney Griner played a crucial role, averaging 23.2 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 5.2 blocks. She was recognized as the National Player of the Year by numerous sources and was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player following her remarkable performance in the championship game with 26 points, 13 boards, and five blocks.
Throughout her four-year collegiate career, Griner scored 3,283 points, securing the fifth spot in women’s basketball history. Brittney Griner also set a record with 748 blocks, the highest in NCAA history for both men and women.
Following her departure from college basketball and becoming the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 WNBA draft for the Mercury, Griner’s relationship with Baylor became strained. Reports surfaced that Kim Mulkey, then Baylor’s head coach and now at LSU, advised Griner to keep her sexual orientation private. Griner married her wife, Cherelle, in 2019.
Brittney Griner was detained in Russia in February 2022 and subsequently sentenced to nine years in prison for drug smuggling, following the discovery of cannabis oil in her luggage. Despite being deemed wrongfully detained by the US State Department, she endured almost 300 days in a Russian penal colony. Brittney Griner was eventually released in December 2022 as part of a prisoner exchange, which also included Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.
Collen expressed her support for Brittney Griner after Mulkey chose to remain silent. “Knowing BG, spending time with her, she’s like a big kid,” Collen remarked. “She’s just one of those individuals who exudes happiness.”
When Collen assumed the role of Baylor’s head coach in 2021, she connected with Griner and set a goal to retire her jersey.