When it is all hands on deck, Kim Mulkey and LSU will have one of theirs leaving. Assistant coach Gary Redus accepted the head coaching job at Rutgers and left before the March Madness even began. Despite losing her key pieces, Kim Mulkey is supportive of her former assistant. So much so that she is encouraging that he take another member of her support staff with him. 

Redus’ departure also highlights just how significant his role has been behind the scenes. Redus has been LSU’s main recruiter and has been an important part of why the Tigers have flourished. In the last 4 years, they have signed two separate No. 1-ranked recruiting classes in 2023 and 2025. He’s helped develop guards and guard play at LSU under Mulkey. 

Despite that, once he took the job, Mulkey immediately told him to start working. “I told him, ‘You can’t be married to two wives.’ I said get out of here, go to work.” Get your staff in place,” Mulkey said on “Off the Bench.” “Get your kids that are over there to stay and he hasn’t even visited Rutgers.”

As he starts building his staff at Rutgers, Mulkey revealed that Redus could take another one of her assistant coaches. “He’s going to get after it at Rutgers, and he could take one of our coaches, like Coach Daphne.” Mulkey said. ”His wife is best friends with Coach Daphne. They played at Georgia Tech together and were roommates. And if he does, I’ll be happy for her as well.”

Daphne Mitchell and Redus’ wife, Tiffany, played at Georgia Tech together from 2006-08. He will need a trusted supporting staff and someone who he has already worked with will certainly help. With Mulkey, Mitchell is in her fifth year as an assistant coach. Mitchell coaches the post players, assists in scouting opponents and works closely in LSU’s recruiting efforts. 

She also worked with Mulkey at Baylor and followed the head coach to LSU. She has specialized in helping post players like Aneesah Morrow and Angel Reese, who have now flowered in the WNBA. Mitchell could become a key part of Redus’ bench. And it also speaks to Kim Mulkey as a mentor. 

She is ready to depart with two of her important coaches in a short time during March Madness. Playing the part of a true mentor. However, not everything about this Redus move is positive for Mulkey. The LSU coach pointed out a disparity that successful teams like hers have to go through.

Kim Mulkey Points Out Injustice After Gary Redus Departure

Winning has its price in college basketball. Seems counterintuitive but it is the truth. The offseason starts earlier for the teams that don’t make it too far into March Madness. That is exactly the case with LSU and Rutgers. Rutgers are nowhere in the NCAA tournament so they could make the changes in their staff.  Mulkey believes the timing of coaching hires creates an uneven playing field.

“I’m not used to all of this stuff happening during the season,” she said. “I’ve watched it play itself out in all sports. And until you have parameters on when you can hire coaches, this is going to continue to happen because each institution is looking out for themselves. If their season’s over, why should I have to wait until LSU season is over to hire somebody?”

The same used to happen with the transfer portal until 2026. The window will be open April 6-20 for women. Previously, the window was open for 30 days and began after the second round of the NCAA tournaments. Which meant the ones who lost early had a head start over the ones who went deep into the Tournament. Mulkey is proposing some regulations on coaching as well. And it makes sense, losing a valuable member at a critical time can imbalance a team.