Griner: Baylor Coach Enforced Closet Policy

Officials at the Baptist university once asked Griner to remove a tweet referring to her sexual orientation.

Neal Broverman

Neal Broverman is the Editorial Director, Print of Pride Media, publishers of The Advocate, Out, Out Traveler, and Plus, spending more than 20 years in journalism. He indulges his interest in transportation and urban planning with regular contributions to Los Angeles magazine, and his work has also appeared in the Los Angeles Times and USA Today. He lives in the City of Angels with his husband, children, and their chiweenie.

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Neal Broverman

May 19 2013 5:59 PM EST

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Brittney Griner, the out player for the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and the league's most recent number one draft pick, said her coach at Baylor University encouraged lesbian players to remain closeted.

Griner says Baylor officials, including coach Kim Mulkey, believe out players complicate recruiting. "The coaches thought that if it seemed like they condoned it, people wouldn't let their kids come play for Baylor," Griner told ESPN.com. "It was more of a unwritten law [not to discuss being gay]... it was just kind of, like, one of those things, you know. Just don't do it. They kind of tried to make it, like, 'Why put your business out on the street like that?'"

Griner once sent a tweet referring to her sexuality and was asked by officials at the private Baptist college to remove it, she says in a video.

Baylor officials wouldn't comment on Griner's comments, referring the site to an earlier statement of support for Griner when she came out. Griner acknowledges Mulkey knew she was gay and wasn't personally bothered by it.