Posted by Mechelle Voepel
If you didn't already know Baylor's Brittney Griner was from a military/law enforcement family, you'd guess it right away from hearing her talk. Good manners are part of her standard speaking pattern.
AP Photo/Rod Aydelotte
Four games into her freshman season at Baylor, Brittney Griner dunked on Jacksonville State.
Thus, her reply when asked how she deals with the "dunking" question reflects a natural politeness unchanged by how often she faces the same inquisition.
"I don't really get sick of it," Griner said. "I know I'm going to get asked a million times, 'Are you going to dunk?' I wouldn't say I enjoy it, either, because there is a lot more to basketball than just dunking. But … actually doing it? That never gets old."
However, making a fuss over Griner's dunking might be passé even before the end of 2009. She did it in an exhibition, so it was just a matter of time before her first official dunk happened.
After a couple of misfires in previous contests, Griner got her inaugural slam Wednesday about five minutes into the game as Baylor demolished Jacksonville State 104-45. This "stuffing" preceded Thanksgiving, and it seemed fitting that it would come at home in Waco, Texas, where Baylor fans are likely to see a lot of Griner dunks the next few years.
Griner, a 19-year-old freshman out of Houston, wasn't even born when the first woman dunked in a college game. Georgeann Wells, who was 6 feet, 7 inches, slammed for West Virginia on Dec. 21, 1984, in what proved to be a feat inexplicably way ahead of its time. It didn't happen again for another decade, when 6-foot jumping jack Charlotte Smith did it for North Carolina.
Smith is, by far, the shortest of the women who've dunked in a college game; the others are 6-5 Michelle Snow and 6-4 Candace Parker, both of Tennessee; 6-6 Sylvia Fowles of LSU, and 6-4 Sancho Lyttle of Houston.
Griner is a lanky and athletic 6-8 post player who actually has a repertoire of dunks. Baylor coach Kim Mulkey quickly adjusted to her rookie's talent and has set plays to maximize Griner's chances to dunk. Wednesday's dunk came after a lob pass.
Most women's basketball fans will find it pretty cool to see Griner do her slam thing. But they also know her impact on games will go far beyond dunking. She has a turnaround jumper that already appears to be a nightmare to stop, plus both the instinct and wingspan for blocking/altering shots at a pace that can demoralize opponents.
"As good as she is, let's be fair to her," Mulkey said. "She might draw more attention defensively than any other freshman who's played this game -- because of all the hype that she plays above the rim.
"For her, it's just like, 'Yeah, I can dunk. I might get one in a game.' But it's not something we talk a lot about. We just tell her if the opportunity presents itself, do it. If that engages people to watch on TV or come to a game just to see it, I'm all for it."
Women's Basketball
