Kim Mulkey Makes Major LSU Retirement Statement
Kim Mulkey has firmly cemented her legacy as a legend.
Lately, however, she is sounding more like someone weighing the exit than chasing another title.
The LSU head coach, who just two years ago led the Tigers to a national title behind a star-studded roster that included Angel Reese, is opening up about what's wearing her down.
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'I want to educate you in a way where you understand what's going on,' Mulkey said at a recent luncheon, according to The Advocate's Jan Risher. 'LSU takes care of me, OK? Our coaches are well paid, I'm well paid. But this NIL, here's the deal ... .'
Mulkey's message went beyond LSU. It was a candid look at the financial reality facing women's basketball as a whole.
'For all of us in athletics, we've got to pull for football, and we've got to pull for men's basketball because the NCAA Tournament is where the men in basketball get the money and we reap it. When we get to the College Football Playoffs, we reap it,' she explained.
Even women's basketball powerhouses aren't in the black.
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The South Carolina Gamecocks, for instance, brought in $5.9 million in revenue in fiscal year 2024 — but reported $11.5 million in expenses.
'Even though you win national championships and you get to the tournament, there's no dollar value from TV that they're paying the same way they do for the men,' Mulkey said.
Mulkey also opened up about the high cost of recruiting in today's NIL era.
When asked what a player like South Carolina transfer MiLaysia Fulwiley might cost, Mulkey was blunt.
'Some kids can be 400,000. Some kids can be 500 grand,' Mulkey admitted.
And then, almost offhandedly, Mulkey revealed what might really be weighing on her.
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As Risher reported, the luncheon wasn't just about raising awareness — it was, in Mulkey's own words, 'to keep me from retiring.'
Mulkey is one of the sport's giants.
A four-time NCAA Tournament champion at Baylor (three) and LSU (one), she's won 12 Big 12 regular season titles, 11 Big 12 Tournament crowns and coached legends along the way, including Reese, Brittney Griner and Odyssey Sims, among many others.
LSU head coach Kim Mulkey talks with Angel Reese.Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images
But right now, she's spending less time on sets and zone reads — and more on selling donors on why LSU needs half a million dollars to land elite players.
So, no farewell yet — but the weight of the times is clearly being felt.
Related: 5-Star College Basketball Recruit Makes Major Kentucky Statement
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