Top 5 WNBA superstars coached by Kim Mulkey in her professional career ft. Brittney Griner

Four-time national champion Kim Mulkey has been at the top of the women's college basketball coaching mountain for almost four decades. During this time, she has seen several players go on to successful WNBA careers.

From Betty Lennox, who played under Mulkey in the coach's early days at Louisiana Tech, to Brittney Griner, who was drafted first in 2013, there is a long list of superstars coached by the 2020 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee.

Top 5 WNBA superstars coached by Kim Mulkey

Teresa Weatherspoon

The head coach of the Chicago Sky, Weatherspoon attended Louisiana Tech when Mulkey was starting out as an assistant coach under former head coach Leon Barmore. Weatherspoon graduated in 1988 and played basketball overseas before returning to the USA as the WNBA was announced.

One of the first players to play in the newly-founded league, Weatherspoon joined the New York Liberty as part of the Initial Player Allocation. The Texas native played in New York for seven seasons, winning WNBA Defensive Player of the Year twice and appearing in four All-Star games.

Betty Lennox

Lennox was drafted by the Minnesota Lynx with the sixth overall pick in the 2000 WNBA draft. The 5-foot-8 shooting guard hit the ground running, winning the Rookie of the Year award and making her first and only All-Star appearance that season.

After two-and-a-half seasons in Minnesota, Lennox spent time with the Miami Sol and the Cleveland Rockers before settling down with the Seattle Storm. Lennox won the WNBA championship in her first season there and was honored with the Finals MVP for her performance.

Lennox spent four seasons with Seattle, then played for Atlanta, Los Angeles and Tulsa before retiring in 2012. Lennox averaged 12.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 2.0 assists over her 12-year career.

Sophia Young

Moving on to Kim Mulkey's Baylor days, Sophia Young was one of the members of the 2005 team that won the school's first national championship. With multiple accolades to her name during her college days, Young entered the WNBA draft in 2006 and was taken by the San Antonio Silver Stars with the fourth pick.

The 6-foot-1 small forward played for the same team for nine seasons, getting three All-Star nods in the process. Young was named to the All-WNBA first team in 2008 and the All-WNBA second team three times.

Brittany Griner

Brittney Griner

The best player to come from the Kim Mulkey coaching umbrella, Griner played under the three-time national champion for four years, from 2009 to 2013. Griner won the NCAA national championship in 2012 and was the first pick in the 2013 WNBA draft.

Griner has been with the Phoenix Mercury throughout her career, winning almost every possible award. A WNBA champion in 2014, a nine-time All-Star, a two-time scoring champion and a two-time Defensive Player of the Year winner are just some of the accomplishments Griner has earned.

Griner returned to the court after a year of absence due to off-field issues, and looked like she had never missed a game, finishing the 2023 season with 17.5 ppg and 6.3 pg.

NaLyssa Smith

The youngest player on the list, NaLyssa Smith won the NCAA national championship in 2019, and the Wade Trophy as well as the Katrina McClain Award in 2021. Smith was drafted by the Indiana Fever as the second pick in the 2022 WNBA draft.

Smith averaged 13.5 ppg, 1.4 assists and 7.2 rpg to earn a spot on the 2022 All-WNBA Rookie team. Smith bettered her totals in the 2023 season with 15.5 ppg, 1.4 apg and 9.2 rpg.