Mar 27, 2025; Spokane, WA, USA; LSU Lady Tigers head coach Kim Mulkey talks with media during an NCAA Tournament practice session at Spokane Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images James Snook-Imagn Images

Kim Mulkey Sends Challenge to MiLaysia Fulwiley Before First LSU Season

Originally posted on Women's Fastbreak on SI
By Grant Young | Last updated Sep 24, 2025 7:39 PM ET

Arguably, the biggest thing that happened within the women's college basketball community since the 2024-25 season ended was former South Carolina Gamecocks star guard MiLaysia Fulwiley transferring to the LSU Tigers so that she could be coached by the legendary Kim Mulkey.

Those who watch women's college basketball know that Fulwiley is one of the most talented players the game has seen in quite a while. In addition to her flashy passing and playmaking, Fulwiley can score at all three levels, and her quickness and agility made her a real difference-maker for Dawn Staley's squad over the past two seasons.

However, Fulwiley came off the bench during her sophomore season, which upset many Gamecocks fans. It's unclear whether this played a role in her ultimately deciding to transfer (and transfer to one of South Carolina's biggest rivals), but the bottom line is that she's now teammates with Flau'jae Johnson at LSU.

Kim Mulkey Sends Strong Message About MiLaysia Fulwiley's First Season at LSU

Kim Mulkey spoke with the media on September 23. And at one point, she was asked what expectations she has for Fulwiley, and what she has seen while working with her thus far.

"Lay is, she has beaten me too many times for me to not have taken her into this program. I mean, she's just a big shot, big steal, spectacular move," Mulkey said, per an X post from Mike Scarborough of TigerBait.com.

"I'm gonna challenge her to learn the point guard position. But I'm not gonna take away her ability to play the off-guard, either," Mulkey added of Fulwiley. "So a lot of that will depend on how quickly she catches on what we need her to do as a point guard, and a lot of that will depend on Jada [Richard's] development, a lot of that will depend on Divine [Bourrage's] development. Those guys all handle the ball for us.

"But [Fulwiley] is fitting in well. I mean, ballers want to play with ballers. And she's gonna be fun to watch. I think the fans, they already know how good she is, and all the spectacular things she does on the floor. And now the LSU fans get to cheer for her instead of booing her," Mulkey concluded.

Kim Mulkey On MiLaysia Fulwiley And Expectations At Both Guard Spots #LSU @LSUwbkb @KimMulkey pic.twitter.com/bwnFuhhfiL
— Mike Scarborough (@ScarboroughMike) September 23, 2025

Fulwiley and Mulkey's Tigers team plays Dawn Staley's Gamecocks squad at home on February 14. One would imagine these two elite programs will also face each other in the postseason at some point.

This article first appeared on Women's Fastbreak on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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