Chip and Joanna Gaines took a bruising online Sunday over a social media post featuring the TV home remodeling power couple posing with WNBA player Brittney Griner.
Chip Gaines posted a photo of him, his wife and the former Baylor University women’s basketball star after her number was retired by the school.
During the Bears’ game against Texas Tech, which they won 61-32, the school honored Griner for her contributions during her collegiate career.
The former Russian prisoner visited her alma mater for the first time since she left after her senior season.
CBS News reported her No. 42 jersey was raised into the rafters at Baylor’s newly opened Foster Pavilion in Waco, Texas, and she hung around and posed for pictures afterward.
The Gaineses, devout Christians who live in Waco, were among those to pose with Griner. Both of the “Fixer Upper” stars are Baylor alumni.
Chip Gaines shared the photo on Instagram and wrote, “Welcome home @brittneyyevettegriner. SO proud of you girl!”
Given Griner’s comments in which she said she opposed hearing the national anthem at sports events, Chip and Joanna Gaines were dragged for celebrating the LGBT activist.
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“Chip and Joanne have turned so woke it’s pathetic,” the Instagram post’s top comment read, while another person posted, “Go woke, go broke.”
“Proud of her for what?” a third person said. “Trashing America but getting out while a Real American Hero someone to be proud of is still in jail!”
That comment was an apparent reference to Marine Corps veteran Paul Whelan, whom the Biden administration left in a Russian prison when it negotiated a prisoner swap for Griner.
Griner was freed in exchange for notorious Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout in December 2022.
She was arrested in February 2022 and later sentenced to nine years in prison for bringing a marijuana vaporizer pen into Russia.
One of Chip Gaines’ followers commented, “Proud of her for WHAT? Taking drugs into another country? Bashing America??”
Following the racial and civil unrest of 2020, Griner said she was opposed to hearing “The Star-Spangled Banner” at her games, CBS Sports reported.
“I honestly feel we should not play the national anthem during our season,” she said.
After her release from prison and return to the U.S., however, Griner said hearing the national anthem at a WNBA game “hit different.”
“I’m grateful to be here, that’s for sure. I’m not going to take a day for granted,” she said.
