What impact will coveted transfer MiLaysia Fulwiley make at LSU?
What impact will coveted transfer MiLaysia Fulwiley make at LSU?
LSU women's basketball secured a commitment from one of the sport's most coveted transfers last week, former South Carolina guard MiLaysia Fulwiley.
After a couple weeks of rumors, Kim Mulkey and LSU made it official with the star guard.
Fulwiley fills a big need for LSU. The Tigers add veteran experience to the backcourt and stabilize the point guard position, which was a problem for LSU the last two seasons.
After spending two years at South Carolina, Fulwiley is acquainted with the SEC and playing in big moments. She was a key part of South Carolina's national championship-winning team in 2024 and again played a pivotal role during the Gamecocks' postseason run in 2025. She knows what it takes to win at the biggest level.
With Fulwiley and Johnson in the backcourt, LSU doesn't lack championship pedigree. Both players have won it all and now look to make a national title run together.
Here's what LSU cans can expect from Fulwiley in a LSU uniform.
Fulwiley has the potential to be a dynamic game-changer
What stood out the most when watching Fulwiley at South Carolina was her energy. She could come off the bench and completely change the mood of the game. The Gamecocks would feed off it.
At LSU, Fulwiley will start, but a similar impact will be felt. Fulwiley's energy on the court is contagious. You want your point guard to make the entire team better. Fulwiley can do that. We saw Alexis Morris do a similar thing for LSU in 2023. Morris was the last Tiger to give LSU consistent play at the point guard position.
Fulwiley impacts the game in an array of ways. She can drive to the rim or hit shots from deep. She can facilitate or create her shots.
Shooting was streaky at times, but when Fulwiley is on, few are better. As she jumps to her junior year, it's fair to expect another step forward.
Fulwiley's a good athlete and her speed allows her to play in transition, something that will make her a good fit at LSU.
Big game experience
Mulkey witnessed Fulwiley deliver in a big moment when South Carolina and LSU met for the SEC Championship in 2024. In a 79-72 South Carolina win, Fulwiley scored 24 points and notched two steals. Coming off the bench, she provided a spark for the Gamecocks. Fulwiley was feeling it deep, sinking four of five from behind the arch. It was enough to be the difference.
Not long after, in the 2024 NCAA Tournament, Fulwiley combined for 37 points in the first and second rounds. In the national championship win over Iowa, Fulwiley scored none with four assists and four rebounds.
In 2025, Fulwiley came up big when South Carolina was on the ropes vs. Maryland in the Sweet 16. She scored 23 points in a four-point win.
She was an instant impact player as a freshman
Fulwiley was one of the top-ranked recruits in her class. The talent flashed immediately as she made an instant impact as a true freshman in 2023-24. She played 18.4 minutes per game and averaged 11.7 points. Her presence was felt on the defensive end, racking up 1.7 steals per game.
Thanks to her immediate playing time, Fulwiley already has 77 games of collegiate experience in two years.
Why did Fulwiley leave South Carolina
There's no clear-cut answer on why Fulwiley left Dawn Staley's squad. She was seeing the court enough to average double-digit scoring in both seasons, and few places offer a better shot at winning a national championship.
It's possible Fulwiley was expecting to earn a starting role in 2025-26, but decided to enter the portal when South Carolina added former FSU star TiNiya Latson.
Fulwiley is a Columbia native. She wasn't just leaving South Carolina, she was leaving her hometown. The choice to transfer to South Carolina's biggest rival adds intrigue, too.
Does LSU finally have its point guard
LSU has been looking for answers at the point guard position ever since Alexis Morris left.
In 2023-24, LSU signed star transfer Hailey Van Lith, but point guard wasn't her natural position. There were some growing pains and Van Lith posted the worst numbers of her collegiate career and hit the portal.
Last season, a few players had a chance to claim LSU's feature point guard role, but Mulkey never found the consistency she wanted to see.
There are some consistency questions about Fulwiley, too, but there's a possibility LSU has the answer to a pressing need.
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