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Baylor Women's Basketball

Odyssey Sims: Brittney Griner’s Jersey Getting Retired Is Very Long Overdue

February 16, 2024
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Odyssey Sims, Former Baylor All-American Guard joins 365 Sports to discuss his thoughts on Brittney Griner having her jersey retired at Baylor, what it was like to play for such a dominant team, her thoughts on the relationships from her time at Baylor, and more.

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Odyssey Sims: Brittney Griner’s Jersey Getting Retired Is Very Long Overdue

5,310 Views | 29 Replies | Last: 2 mo ago by BEAR 45
jdkingbear
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Brittney got her day, and, yes, it was long overdue. Thanks to Nicki's, and others, overt support of Brittney's place in Baylor sports history, and her advocacy for same, that day finally came and Baylor fans, rightfully, supported this honor. Sadly, Kim did nothing to promote this while she was here, which is sad because she would have NEVER won that 40-0 year and a national championship without Brittney on that team.

Baylor has had many memorable and honored women basketball players, but none like Britney. Long may that jersey hang in Foster.
jdkingbear
BearTiger
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This is not accurate information. It was Baylor's policy not to retire a jersey if a player does not graduate with a degree. It was also Mulkey's policy, she was outspoken about players getting their degrees. She had 100% graduation rate at Baylor, LA Tech , and LSU. Griner did not obtain her degree until just couple years ago, and that's the reason her jersey was not retired yet. That's why Baylor waited to retire her jersey until after her degree, and also to do it in the new arena. I am glad Griner's jersey is now hanging, she deserves it.
WBB is a team sport, give others credit, there were other players on the team, and all the coaches who got that 40-0 record and NC, Griner did not do it alone.
Bear2393
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BearTiger said:

This is not accurate information. It was Baylor's policy not to retire a jersey if a player does not graduate with a degree. It was also Mulkey's policy, she was outspoken about players getting their degrees. She had 100% graduation rate at Baylor, LA Tech , and LSU. Griner did not obtain her degree until just couple years ago, and that's the reason her jersey was not retired yet. That's why Baylor waited to retire her jersey until after her degree, and also to do it in the new arena. I am glad Griner's jersey is now hanging, she deserves it.


Thanks for the correct information. It is a good thing that a degree was required. Some people may not like Kim Mulkey ( don't understand why) but she requires her players to get their degrees.
BUatbirth
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BearTiger said:

This is not accurate information. It was Baylor's policy not to retire a jersey if a player does not graduate with a degree. It was also Mulkey's policy, she was outspoken about players getting their degrees. She had 100% graduation rate at Baylor, LA Tech , and LSU. Griner did not obtain her degree until just couple years ago, and that's the reason her jersey was not retired yet. That's why Baylor waited to retire her jersey until after her degree, and also to do it in the new arena. I am glad Griner's jersey is now hanging, she deserves it.
WBB is a team sport, give others credit, there were other players on the team, and all the coaches who got that 40-0 record and NC, Griner did not do it alone.
If you listened to the Sims interview…she makes a point debunking this narrative by stating "I got my jersey retired and A YEAR LATER got my degree"….I stand corrected. Went back and listened again. She is saying she got her jersey retired "a year later after getting my degree". I think BG got her degree in 2019.
blackie
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BearTiger said:

This is not accurate information. It was Baylor's policy not to retire a jersey if a player does not graduate with a degree. It was also Mulkey's policy, she was outspoken about players getting their degrees. She had 100% graduation rate at Baylor, LA Tech , and LSU. Griner did not obtain her degree until just couple years ago, and that's the reason her jersey was not retired yet. That's why Baylor waited to retire her jersey until after her degree, and also to do it in the new arena. I am glad Griner's jersey is now hanging, she deserves it.
WBB is a team sport, give others credit, there were other players on the team, and all the coaches who got that 40-0 record and NC, Griner did not do it alone.
KM had plenty of time to have BG's jersey retired before she left with BG getting her degree in 2019, even with the pandemic. She did not. You can't spin that away with the graduation argument.

I think the poster's point was not that BG did it alone, but that they would have not had that record without her. That can't be proven but it certainly fits the eye test. One could also certainly argue that the recruits brought in during and after BG's time at Baylor had a large part in laying a foundation for success in year's even after she finisher her eligibility and that was in large part to what she brought Baylor not only in success but in name recognition in the sport that put Baylor on elite recruits' radar.
BearTiger
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Blackie, no Mulkey did not have time. Griner got her degree winter of 2019, then Covid hit afterwards, no one went to the games, no NCAA Tourney. Baylor only allowed handful of fans during Covid. We have no idea what Baylor wanted to do or not do during Covid. Nothing much was done during Covid. It was a crazy time when everyone feared for their lives. Then in 2021, Mulkey left. So it was up to Baylor and Coach N to retire Griner's jersey in 2021, 2022, or 2023. It was just done couple days ago 2024. It takes time, sometimes couple years to get your jersey retired. I think it was a year ago when Coach N declared Baylor was retiring Griner's jersey? But she later backtracked and said NO she misspoke and left it alone until recently. What was that all about? It takes time to get your jersey formally retired. We have to let go, move forward, and stop the blame game with a former Coach. Griner's jersey was deserved retired and that's the most important thing. Positive vibes.
blackie
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BearTiger said:

Blackie, no Mulkey did not have time. Griner got her degree winter of 2019, then Covid hit afterwards, no one went to the games, no NCAA Tourney. Baylor only allowed handful of fans during Covid. We have no idea what Baylor wanted to do or not do during Covid. Nothing much was done during Covid. It was a crazy time when everyone feared for their lives. Then in 2021, Mulkey left. So it was up to Baylor and Coach N to retire Griner's jersey in 2021, 2022, or 2023. It was just done couple days ago 2024. It takes time, sometimes couple years to get your jersey retired. I think it was a year ago when Coach N declared Baylor was retiring Griner's jersey? But she later backtracked and said NO she misspoke and left it alone until recently. What was that all about? It takes time to get your jersey formally retired. We have to let go, move forward, and stop the blame game with a former Coach. Griner's jersey was deserved retired and that's the most important thing. Positive vibes.
I'll give you the attendance thing, but there could have at least been a statement that the intent was to retire the jersey when conditions allowed. To my knowledge that wasn't even done. It was like BG was just something to ignore.
BearTiger
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No one knew what to do during covid 2020-2021. It was the last thing to think about when a lot of people were dying every day. Baylor had bigger priorities to deal with during covid. Baylor could have made that decision in 2020-2021 to retire her jersey, but they did not. Then Mulkey left 2021. Also, Griner was sentenced to 9 years in Russian prison for a year. We didn't know if or when she would be released.
It was Baylor's responsibility about Griner's jersey, as well as any public announcement. The bigger question is--after Mulkey left why didn't Baylor retire Griner's jersey in 2021, 2022, or 2023? They had plenty of time, plenty of opportunities to do it during those 3 years. Why did they wait so long until Feb 2024? The responsibility is on Baylor's Athletic Dept for the long wait, and no one else. If anyone forgot Griner or dropped the ball after covid 2020-2021, it was Baylor Athletic Dept. When Coach N announced she wanted to retire Griner's jersey, it was odd she backtracked and said NO she misspoke. Baylor shut that down, the school was going to make that decision when they were ready--not Coach N. We don't need to keep harping on why, why not, should have, etc. Most important thing it was Baylor's decision/responsibility, and the AD finally got it done. Congrats to Griner, a well deserved recognition.
Bone Squad
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blackie said:

BearTiger said:

Blackie, no Mulkey did not have time. Griner got her degree winter of 2019, then Covid hit afterwards, no one went to the games, no NCAA Tourney. Baylor only allowed handful of fans during Covid. We have no idea what Baylor wanted to do or not do during Covid. Nothing much was done during Covid. It was a crazy time when everyone feared for their lives. Then in 2021, Mulkey left. So it was up to Baylor and Coach N to retire Griner's jersey in 2021, 2022, or 2023. It was just done couple days ago 2024. It takes time, sometimes couple years to get your jersey retired. I think it was a year ago when Coach N declared Baylor was retiring Griner's jersey? But she later backtracked and said NO she misspoke and left it alone until recently. What was that all about? It takes time to get your jersey formally retired. We have to let go, move forward, and stop the blame game with a former Coach. Griner's jersey was deserved retired and that's the most important thing. Positive vibes.
I'll give you the attendance thing, but there could have at least been a statement that the intent was to retire the jersey when conditions allowed. To my knowledge that wasn't even done. It was like BG was just something to ignore.
I always look for consistency. If someone routinely does things one way, then suddenly changes course in a specific circumstance, then I will believe there some different underlying motivation for the change (fear? animus? scheduling difficulties?)

I am not aware of a single player whose jersey was retired that there had previously been some vague statement of an intention to retire a jersey at an indefinite future moment. (That is, unless you count Nicki Collen's statement that had to be backtracked). Rather, an announcement was consistently made once an actual date for the ceremony was set. Therefore, I am unwilling to attribute nefarious motivations to anyone for acting consistently with the same routine they had followed for years (i.e. not giving vague statements of future intent).
blackie
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Bone Squad said:

blackie said:

BearTiger said:

Blackie, no Mulkey did not have time. Griner got her degree winter of 2019, then Covid hit afterwards, no one went to the games, no NCAA Tourney. Baylor only allowed handful of fans during Covid. We have no idea what Baylor wanted to do or not do during Covid. Nothing much was done during Covid. It was a crazy time when everyone feared for their lives. Then in 2021, Mulkey left. So it was up to Baylor and Coach N to retire Griner's jersey in 2021, 2022, or 2023. It was just done couple days ago 2024. It takes time, sometimes couple years to get your jersey retired. I think it was a year ago when Coach N declared Baylor was retiring Griner's jersey? But she later backtracked and said NO she misspoke and left it alone until recently. What was that all about? It takes time to get your jersey formally retired. We have to let go, move forward, and stop the blame game with a former Coach. Griner's jersey was deserved retired and that's the most important thing. Positive vibes.
I'll give you the attendance thing, but there could have at least been a statement that the intent was to retire the jersey when conditions allowed. To my knowledge that wasn't even done. It was like BG was just something to ignore.
I always look for consistency. If someone routinely does things one way, then suddenly changes course in a specific circumstance, then I will believe there some different underlying motivation for the change (fear? animus? scheduling difficulties?)

I am not aware of a single player whose jersey was retired that there had previously been some vague statement of an intention to retire a jersey at an indefinite future moment. (That is, unless you count Nicki Collen's statement that had to be backtracked). Rather, an announcement was consistently made once an actual date for the ceremony was set. Therefore, I am unwilling to attribute nefarious motivations to anyone for acting consistently with the same routine they had followed for years (i.e. not giving vague statements of future intent).
You're probably right, but we also never had a pandemic before that would prevent doing something that should have been done as soon as she graduated in 2019. That is where IMO stated intent would have been justified, and would have silenced a lot of noise surrounding why it hadn't been done. Noise which was benefitting no one, player, coach or school. I think it took CNC's arrival to do much of anything to do what should have already been moving toward being done.
BEAR 45
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I have posted this question on a different thread, but no response. Is there any other athlete in Baylor sports [ any sport ] that has had their number retired ? Serious question as it goes to what Baylor's policy has been in the past with this issue. Posters question why it took so long, but what has the policy been ?
Bone Squad
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Are you asking if there has been a number that will no longer be on anyone's Baylor jersey again?

I don't think so. And I do not think that is even the case with Griner. I understand the jersey retirements to be more ceremonial or symbolic, but without creating a real world restriction.
605Bear
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Bone Squad said:

Are you asking if there has been a number that will no longer be on anyone's Baylor jersey again?

I don't think so. And I do not think that is even the case with Griner. I understand the jersey retirements to be more ceremonial or symbolic, but without creating a real world restriction.


After the announcement of BG's jersey retirement, CNC said in either a presser or a radio interview that no one would wear #42 for as long as she is at Baylor. She also mentioned that former players were personally asked for permission to wear their jerseys and were given their blessing. She specifically mentioned Buggs wearing Melissa Jones' #5 jersey and Blackwell wearing Sophia Young's #33 jersey.
BEAR 45
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Bone Squad said:

Are you asking if there has been a number that will no longer be on anyone's Baylor jersey again?

I don't think so. And I do not think that is even the case with Griner. I understand the jersey retirements to be more ceremonial or symbolic, but without creating a real world restriction.
That is what is commonly done when you "retire" someone's number. What I am asking is there any athlete , besides Griner, who has had their number retired ? Have never seen a jersey hoisted in Ferrrell and only Griner's hangs in the Foster. No football player has had their # retired, to my knowledge, or any other Baylor athlete. Their must have been some sort of policy in place for this lack of honor in Baylor's history. What changed with Greiner ? Not saying it is not earned, but NO other Baylor athletes ? Heisman winner, several track and field gold medal winners, world record holders, NFL HOF, and noone else has had this honor ? I may be wrong, that is why I ask. ANYONE?
Bone Squad
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I don't know of any outside of Women's Basketball. I concede that the only other ones I follow are football and men's basketball, so there could be some in other sports that I would not be aware of.

In WBB, there are a handful prior to Griner: Suzie Snider Eppers, Sheila Lambert, Sophia Young, Melissa Jones, Odyssey Sims, and Nina Davis.
setshot
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When I arrived at Baylor in 1950, the coaches' offices were up in Rena Marrs McLean. In the secretarial office as you entered there was one (football) jersey on display, that worn by "Bullet" Billy Patterson, the revered QB who was second team All American in 1938, finishing behind the diminutive TCU Heisman winner, Davey O'Brian. My memory may fail me here, but I believe Patterson's number was 57.

The idea of retiring the number and not actively using it was not a factor, but framing it and displaying it solely was considered to be a suitable honor for a player who at that time was still talked about in reverential terms. I met him in 1951 when he came to visit Baylor as someone who lived and practiced law down in the valley, I believe in McAllen.

He was intensely personal and friendly, and I wondered at the time why Baylor did not bring him back as athletic director, a position that he would have been ideally suited for. The customary appointee to that position in those days and for sometime thereafter was a former football coach, though Baylor elevated a Track and Field coach and, later, a former basketball coach to that position.

As far as I know, no one ever thought about the advantages that a former athlete who was educated in the law could bring to that position. Patterson's personality and his athletic and educational background would have made him an ideal choice for that position.
BUatbirth
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Enjoy the history. So important. Thank you for sharing setshot.
BEAR 45
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Bone Squad said:

I don't know of any outside of Women's Basketball. I concede that the only other ones I follow are football and men's basketball, so there could be some in other sports that I would not be aware of.

In WBB, there are a handful prior to Griner: Suzie Snider Eppers, Sheila Lambert, Sophia Young, Melissa Jones, Odyssey Sims, and Nina Davis.
I am not aware that ANY of those additional named players have had their number retired . Question remains, what has Baylor's policy been through the years, prior to Griner ?
MrGolfguy
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Bone Squad said:

In WBB, there are a handful prior to Griner: Suzie Snider Eppers, Sheila Lambert, Sophia Young, Melissa Jones, Odyssey Sims, and Nina Davis.
These 6 had their jerseys framed and displayed in the concourse at Ferrell Center. The numbers aren't 'retired' however as Blackwell currently wears 33 like Sophia Young and DLB currently wears 5 like Melissa Jones.
BEAR 45
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MrGolfguy said:

Bone Squad said:

In WBB, there are a handful prior to Griner: Suzie Snider Eppers, Sheila Lambert, Sophia Young, Melissa Jones, Odyssey Sims, and Nina Davis.
These 6 had their jerseys framed and displayed in the concourse at Ferrell Center. The numbers aren't 'retired' however as Blackwell currently wears 33 like Sophia Young and DLB currently wears 5 like Melissa Jones.
Come on, BIG difference between having your jersey framed and having your jersey [ number ] retired. I am asking a very simple question, has any athlete had their jersey [ number] officially retired ? The lead on this thread is why did it take do long to retire Griner's jersey ? No one wants to answer what Baylor's policy has been up until now and no one can show a single Baylor athlete who has been honored in such a manner. WHY is this so difficult to answer ?
MrGolfguy
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BEAR 45 said:

MrGolfguy said:

Bone Squad said:

In WBB, there are a handful prior to Griner: Suzie Snider Eppers, Sheila Lambert, Sophia Young, Melissa Jones, Odyssey Sims, and Nina Davis.
These 6 had their jerseys framed and displayed in the concourse at Ferrell Center. The numbers aren't 'retired' however as Blackwell currently wears 33 like Sophia Young and DLB currently wears 5 like Melissa Jones.
Come on, BIG difference between having your jersey framed and having your jersey [ number ] retired. I am asking a very simple question, has any athlete had their jersey [ number] officially retired ? The lead on this thread is why did it take do long to retire Griner's jersey ? No one wants to answer what Baylor's policy has been up until now and no one can show a single Baylor athlete who has been honored in such a manner. WHY is this so difficult to answer ?
Calm down. Apparently no one knows the answer. I just told you what Baylor had done in WBB up until the recent Griner jersey retirement, which is as close to jersey retirement as they've gotten. My guess is the answer is Baylor has never retired a jersey number in any sport.
BEAR 45
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MrGolfguy said:

BEAR 45 said:

MrGolfguy said:

Bone Squad said:

In WBB, there are a handful prior to Griner: Suzie Snider Eppers, Sheila Lambert, Sophia Young, Melissa Jones, Odyssey Sims, and Nina Davis.
These 6 had their jerseys framed and displayed in the concourse at Ferrell Center. The numbers aren't 'retired' however as Blackwell currently wears 33 like Sophia Young and DLB currently wears 5 like Melissa Jones.
Come on, BIG difference between having your jersey framed and having your jersey [ number ] retired. I am asking a very simple question, has any athlete had their jersey [ number] officially retired ? The lead on this thread is why did it take do long to retire Griner's jersey ? No one wants to answer what Baylor's policy has been up until now and no one can show a single Baylor athlete who has been honored in such a manner. WHY is this so difficult to answer ?
Calm down. Apparently no one knows the answer. I just told you what Baylor had done in WBB up until the recent Griner jersey retirement, which is as close to jersey retirement as they've gotten. My guess is the answer is Baylor has never retired a jersey number in any sport.
This thread started out with the question why has it taken so long to honor Griner by retiring her jersey. My point is, NO athlete in Baylor's history, stretching back more than a century has ever had that honor. WHY ? it is not because there were no athletes worthy. I assure you I am very calm, just pointing out that there must have been some policy that prevented this honor prior to Griner and as such the question of what took so long is moot.
blairbear
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Baylor Women's Basketball has 7 players who have had their jersey retired. Odyssey Sims, Melissa Jones, Nina Davis, Suzie Snider Eppers, Sheila Lambert, Sophia Young, and now Brittney Griner . Women's softball has two players with jersey retired. Whitney Canion and Brette Raegan.

Most athletes honored by Baylor have been through it's Hall of Fame. This practice is common among most university's in lieu of retiring jersey's.

Retiring a jersey is symbolic of that person but doesn't prevent the number from being used in the future. Buggs and Asia both wear numbers that were "retired" but in both cases permission was granted to them. Coach Nicki has stated that no one will wear Brittney's 42 while she is coach.
BEAR 45
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blairbear said:

Baylor Women's Basketball has 7 players who have had their jersey retired. Odyssey Sims, Melissa Jones, Nina Davis, Suzie Snider Eppers, Sheila Lambert, Sophia Young, and now Brittney Griner . Women's softball has two players with jersey retired. Whitney Canion and Brette Raegan.

Most athletes honored by Baylor have been through it's Hall of Fame. This practice is common among most university's in lieu of retiring jersey's.

Retiring a jersey is symbolic of that person but doesn't prevent the number from being used in the future. Buggs and Asia both wear numbers that were "retired" but in both cases permission was granted to them. Coach Nicki has stated that no one will wear Brittney's 42 while she is coach.
Thanks for posting this, I was unable to find any site that had this info. Were these retirements done during games and were the jerseys placed in the rafters at Ferrell ? I have never seen anything except the team banners. Does Griners jersey stay in the rafters of Foster ? or was this ceremony symbolic ?
Bone Squad
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I didn't go and search for every single one, but here are some representative samples.

https://www.centexbeat.com/2020/01/19/nina-davis-honored-by-lady-bears-with-retired-number/

https://baylorbears.com/news/2016/1/1/WBB_s_Odyssey_Sims_amp_8217_Jersey_to_be_Retired

In short, Baylor has consistently used the phraseology of "retiring the jersey." The honor has been presented to each player at a home game. The jerseys were hung on the wall in the Ferrell Center rather than the rafters (I am curious to see if they will soon add the old ones to the rafters in Foster beside Griners). Despite the use of the word "retirement," it has been a symbolic honor, and they have not prevented players from using the same numbers. Collen is saying no one else will wear 42 while she is the coach, and it sounds like that is her decision which a future coach may change.
blackie
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Bone Squad said:

I didn't go and search for every single one, but here are some representative samples.

https://www.centexbeat.com/2020/01/19/nina-davis-honored-by-lady-bears-with-retired-number/

https://baylorbears.com/news/2016/1/1/WBB_s_Odyssey_Sims_amp_8217_Jersey_to_be_Retired

In short, Baylor has consistently used the phraseology of "retiring the jersey." The honor has been presented to each player at a home game. The jerseys were hung on the wall in the Ferrell Center rather than the rafters (I am curious to see if they will soon add the old ones to the rafters in Foster beside Griners). Despite the use of the word "retirement," it has been a symbolic honor, and they have not prevented players from using the same numbers. Collen is saying no one else will wear 42 while she is the coach, and it sounds like that is her decision which a future coach may change.
It is obvious that no one will wear the same number with the same name on it and this is semantics stretched to the limit, but one could argue there is a difference between "retiring a jersey" and "retiring a number".

Retiring a jersey implies that no one will wear a jersey with the same name and number, i.e. no one will wear that specific jersey again. And as I said above this is a "duh" It however, just by the words, does not say anyone will not wear that same number again.

Retiring a number implies that no one will ever wear that number again.

No one needs to get snarky and point out that no one by the name of Sally Joe will wear a jersey with the name Griner on it, but technically there is a difference between retiring a jersey and retiring a number. I have never heard from any official source at Baylor that the ceremony was to retire the number, only to retire the jersey. CNC was the only one that said, to my knowledge, that no one would wear 42 again, at least as long as she was there.
BEAR 45
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Bone Squad said:

I didn't go and search for every single one, but here are some representative samples.

https://www.centexbeat.com/2020/01/19/nina-davis-honored-by-lady-bears-with-retired-number/

https://baylorbears.com/news/2016/1/1/WBB_s_Odyssey_Sims_amp_8217_Jersey_to_be_Retired

In short, Baylor has consistently used the phraseology of "retiring the jersey." The honor has been presented to each player at a home game. The jerseys were hung on the wall in the Ferrell Center rather than the rafters (I am curious to see if they will soon add the old ones to the rafters in Foster beside Griners). Despite the use of the word "retirement," it has been a symbolic honor, and they have not prevented players from using the same numbers. Collen is saying no one else will wear 42 while she is the coach, and it sounds like that is her decision which a future coach may change.
In the two examples given, one says retired number and one says retired jersey,
Bone Squad
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That's why I keep referring to this as a symbolic honor. I don't believe the school's official policy is that no one can wear the same number, even though a specific coach might choose to treat it that way.
BEAR 45
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Bone Squad said:

That's why I keep referring to this as a symbolic honor. I don't believe the school's official policy is that no one can wear the same number, even though a specific coach might choose to treat it that way.
When I posted in the first place, I was asking for what Baylor's policy was. I seems apparent there is no Baylor Athletic policy that governs this issue. Not a single men's basketball player has ever been given this honor, even though at least one had their NBA jersey retired . I have no complaints about this honor being awarded, just seeking to find out if each sport at Baylor makes their own policy and what is their criteria ? There certainly is no consistency.
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