Baylor coach on Brittney Griner: 'I want to see her jersey in the rafters'

Brittney Griner has become known worldwide for the fact that she was arrested and detained in Russia and eventually traded in a prisoner exchange for an arms dealer known as the "Merchant of Death".

Beyond the domestic and world politics is one heck of a basketball player, though, especially when considering the college career Griner put together with the Baylor Bears. She was so good that Baylor women's basketball coach Nicki Collen believes that Griner's jersey belongs high up in the rafters of Baylor's soon-to-be operational new basketball stadium.

"We're opening a new arena. There's no doubt that I want to see her jersey in the rafters," Collen told ESPN.

Griner was back in Texas, playing for the Phoenix Mercury, who lost 84-79 to the Dallas Wings on Wednesday night. Griner put up 24 points and four rebounds, playing less than 100 miles from Waco -- where she was a superstar from 2009-13.

Collen didn't coach Griner -- she took over at Baylor in 2021 -- but she believes that the frayed relationship between the star and the Bears should be repaired. So much so that she took her team to watch Griner play on Wednesday.

Per ESPN, Griner and former Baylor coach, Kim Mulkey, had a falling out that hurt Griner's relationship with the basketball program. She was also not a graduate of the school just yet, so her number has yet to be retired by the Bears.

Not only is Griner now a graduate, but one look at her college resume makes it clear that she's a Baylor legend.

She helped lead Baylor to two final fours, including in 2012 when Baylor went 40-0 and won the national championship. Griner finished her college career with 3,283 points, 1,305 rebounds and 748 blocks (an NCAA record).

"It was amazing to have [the Baylor team] here," Griner said after the game. "I was really, really, really, really, really happy to see the Baylor team. That meant a lot having them here. I love Baylor. Without that, I don't get to where I'm at right here."