In a transfer portal defined largely by player departures, Kim Mulkey and the LSU Tigers are finally calling their shots. The Tigers faced back-to-back setbacks, losing 4 players from the roster, but they have recently landed an international talent who can raise the team’s frontcourt ceiling immensely, prompting the Tigers’ head coach to double down on the player’s role.

On Monday, the Tigers announced they brought in Spanish talent Noa Morro to add physical presence to their frontcourt and depth at the position. Head coach Mulkey heaped praise on Morro’s skill set and experience, calling her a valuable addition to the team.

“Noa is a player we’re excited to welcome to LSU,” Mulkey said. “She brings size, skill, and versatility to our team, and her ability to step out and shoot the three makes her an exciting fit for the way the game is played today. She has competed at a high level, and we believe Tiger fans are going to love what she brings to this program. We’re excited to see her in purple and gold.”

Now, Morro isn’t a typical high school commit. She has great experience of playing at a high level, having played in the EuroLeague. This makes her a seamless fit within the NCAA basketball landscape, especially given the EuroLeague’s quality and physicality. Last year, the Spanish talent also played a few games for Kutxa Bank Araski in Spain.

In her 25 games during the 2025-26 season, Morro recorded 8.0 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.6 assists, while scoring at over 36% beyond the arc. These numbers quietly reflect that she isn’t just a typical forward who dominates on the board because of her height, but also boasts a substantial scoring spree that can immensely facilitate Mulkey in carrying out offensive runs both from the perimeter and from the paint.

Furthermore, Morro has also played with top WNBA prospects, such as Awa Fam, throughout her career. That experience and the subtle playing skill set from her time in Spain will be yet another silver lining for the LSU Tigers next season. And subsequently will help fill the huge void left by Amiya Joyner.

From an overall roster perspective, Kim Mulkey’s LSU Tigers were in shambles right after the portal tipped off. Four important players of the team’s rotation: Bella Hines, Jada Richard, Divine Bourrage, and Kailyn Gilbert left for the transfer portal after the season despite Mulkey’s confident statement a few months back. “They’re all coming back except Divine,” Mulkey had said. “So I am blessed that all of those great players are coming back.”

But as reality set in, the reckoning wasn’t just restricted to Bourrage. Furthermore, their veteran guard Flau’jae Johnson also left after her senior season to transition to the pro circuit, where she will play for the Seattle Storm in the upcoming WNBA season.

All of it left Mulkey with a major rebuilding job and the task of framing a roster that can help the team improve on its Sweet 16 finish from last season. And Noa Morro’s addition to the Tigers roster amid such a landscape is worth much more than gold. But beyond that, the Tigers have been making their moves quite subtly towards rebuilding.

Kim Mulkey’s LSU Looks Quite Promising After Its Brief Rebuilding So Far

For context, Noa Morro isn’t the only player to arrive at the shores of LSU in the portal this season. To compensate for the departing players, the Tigers have added two guards: Jaida Williams from Iowa State and Laila Reynolds from Florida via the portal. Kim Mulkey also landed a top freshman in Lola Lampley from high school and will add to the team’s backcourt depth even further.

Both Williams and Reynolds are quite formidable players and can thrive immensely in Mulkey’s ecosystem, which relies heavily on guard-heavy lineups. They both scored over 10 points for their respective teams last season and led Iowa State in assists (7.7). Notably, both can complement players like MiLaysia Fulwiley and Mikaylah Williams to offset the loss of Flau’jae Johnson in the backcourt.

Now, it’s no surprise that most of the Tigers’ portal signings or commitments are guards, as all 4 players who left the team also played in the backcourt. Yet despite that, the Tigers still need to make a few more signings to add depth in the frontcourt. According to reports, the Tigers’ front office is also working on it, with the program expected to land yet another international frontcourt player in the coming weeks, along with a second signing.

If the reports turn out to be true, the Tigers can see yet another star-studded season in play for them in the upcoming season. But Mulkey and LSU didn’t just have to bring in top players; they also needed sharp minds on their coaching bench. Mulkey’s crucial allies, Gary Redus and Daphne Mitchell, moved to Rutgers a couple of months back, and to replace them, the Tigers have brought in Murriel Page.

Page is a former WNBA player who has served as an assistant coach at Georgia Tech, Mississippi State, and Miami (Florida). All in all, with such a sharp mind in Kim Mulkey’s corner next season, there won’t be any shortage of guidance for the incoming players, which will improve the team’s outlook and ceiling.