BATON ROUGE – One thing that has become synonymous with Kim Mulkey-led LSU women’s basketball teams the last couple of seasons has been boisterous personalities.
Former star Angel Reese became one of the prominent faces for a surge of popularity for women’s college basketball, and that stardom only continued as she moved to the WNBA this summer.
Do the Tigers have a void to fill with Reese’s departure, and what does Mulkey expect from this team in the personality department?
“I don’t think there was pressure, even when Angel was here. Each kid just has a different personality,” Mulkey said. “I’ve told you many times, I’ve coached some big personalities. Somebody in this bunch will probably have a big personality. It might not be in comparison to Angel. But personalities just kind of rise to the top when they get comfortable. It comes with confidence, it comes with being older.”
LSU still has junior Flau’jae Johnson, who has a large following on the court as well as off with her soaring hip hop career. One of her songs, “Came Out A Beast,” was featured during the NFL’s broadcast of the New Orleans Saints and Philadelphia Eagles game Sunday.
Homegrown Mikaylah Williams, the reigning SEC Freshman of the Year, is back after averaging 14.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. She has a year under her belt and will be counted on more in big spots during the 2024-25 season.
Aneesah Morrow pieced together an impressive first season in Baton Rouge. As an honorable mention All-American, she posted 16.4 points and 10 boards.
LSU welcomed plenty of new faces to this season’s team led by point guard Shyanne Day-Wilson, former Arkansas player Jersey Wolfenbarger and Mississippi State transfer Mjracle Sheppard, among others.
Those aren’t household names. It’s possible they won’t become that. And that’s OK with Mulkey, who knows her players will exude pillars that she’s always had in her programs as she now enters her 40th season has a coach:
“We’re always going to play with emotion, we’re going to always play excited and those personalities will surface.”
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Cory Diaz covers the LSU Tigers for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his Tigers coverage on Twitter: @ByCoryDiaz. Got questions regarding LSU athletics? Send them to Cory Diaz at bdiaz@gannett.com.
