Kim Mulkey Only Needed to Speak to MiLaysia Fulwiley Once to Lure Her to LSU Tigers as Their New Star Guard
When Kim Mulkey speaks, people listen—especially when she’s talking about basketball. So it came as little surprise that it took just one conversation for her to convince MiLaysia Fulwiley, one of the nation’s most electrifying young guards, to commit to the LSU Tigers. In the ever-competitive world of college basketball recruiting, such instant decisions are rare, but Mulkey’s track record, passion, and vision for the future were more than enough to sway Fulwiley.
Fulwiley, a standout from Columbia, South Carolina, had already built a name for herself in high school and made waves during her freshman season at South Carolina. Known for her dazzling handles, quick first step, and fearless playmaking, she had all the makings of a future star. But after a year under Dawn Staley, Fulwiley entered the transfer portal in search of a new environment—one that could maximize her talent and provide a platform to fully shine.
Enter Kim Mulkey. The LSU head coach, fresh off a national championship and a deep tournament run, didn’t need to oversell what LSU had to offer. The Tigers had already become a destination for elite talent. Mulkey’s reputation as a player’s coach—fiery, demanding, but fiercely loyal—preceded her. When she reached out to Fulwiley, it wasn’t a pitch; it was a conversation grounded in honesty and opportunity.
According to sources close to the program, the connection between Mulkey and Fulwiley was immediate. “Coach Mulkey didn’t try to convince her with flash,” one insider said. “She just laid it out—the culture, the expectations, and how she saw MiLaysia fitting into the system. That was all it took.”
For Fulwiley, who thrives on creative freedom and thrives in fast-paced systems, LSU offered the perfect combination of structure and spontaneity. Under Mulkey, guards are given the green light to create—so long as they compete on both ends. The Tigers’ up-tempo, high-scoring style meshes perfectly with Fulwiley’s game, and Mulkey made it clear she saw her as a centerpiece in the team’s future plans.
“Coach Mulkey believes in letting players be who they are, but she also brings out a toughness in you,” Fulwiley said in a brief statement. “That’s the kind of coach I want to play for.”
The move also signals a strategic shift for LSU. With stars like Angel Reese moving on and a new wave of talent entering the fold, Fulwiley’s arrival is a declaration that the Tigers aren’t rebuilding—they’re reloading. She brings not just talent, but energy and flair, something Mulkey has embraced as she shapes LSU’s identity post-title run.
LSU fans are already buzzing at the prospect of Fulwiley wearing purple and gold. Social media erupted after the announcement, with clips of her jaw-dropping high school highlights circulating anew. If she lives up to even half the hype, she could be the most dynamic player in Baton Rouge since Seimone Augustus.
Mulkey has made a habit of landing big names, but this recruitment was different. It wasn’t about NIL money, facilities, or national TV appearances. It was about trust. One conversation. That’s all it took.
With Fulwiley on board, the Tigers have added a game-changer—one who could keep them in championship contention and electrify fans with every step-back jumper and no-look pass. And Kim Mulkey, ever the mastermind, proved once again that when she wants a player, she knows exactly how to get her.