It’s amazing how the women’s college basketball scene really got shaken up when star guard MiLaysia Fulwiley decided to transfer from the powerhouse South Carolina Gamecocks to their SEC rival, the LSU Tigers. This transfer is definitely one of the big stories of the window. Fulwiley is making a shift from a place where she really shone as a dynamic scorer off the bench to a new setup with Coach Kim Mulkey.

Here, she’s going to have to step up and take on a whole new, more challenging role. Her athleticism really sets the stage for an exciting offensive lineup for LSU, but this change is a big wake-up call. It means she’ll need to quickly adapt her game if the Tigers want to reach their full potential. The main topic of discussion about Fulwiley’s transition, highlighted on the “Good Follow” podcast by the insightful Autumn Johnson, is how she’s adjusting to playing the point guard position.

Johnson mentioned, “For me, the question is, how can MiLaysia keep that creativity and that composure leading the entire offense? Because Kim Mulkey is going to ask her to be the point guard and play more on the ball. She was off the ball at South Carolina.” This isn’t just a small tweak. In South Carolina, Fulwiley was a real game-changer, coming off the bench in all but three of her 77 games. She showcased her amazing playmaking skills and lightning-fast speed, especially during those fast breaks.

Johnson talked about the increased responsibilities, saying, “With more minutes, more composure, more responsibility, and decision making when you think about getting your teammates organizing, organized, and getting them into the right spots where they’re successful.” This challenge really gets to the heart of how analysts see things—Fulwiley needs to go beyond what she already knows and get a handle on the finer points of managing an offense.

“So I think, honestly, this is really good for MiLaysia to be challenged and stretch. But when you pair her with a Flau’jae Johnson and also Mikaylah Williams, easily, this is the most explosive offense in college basketball. And I think they can make a pretty deep run if it clicks right away with MiLaysia Fulwiley running point,” Johnson wrapped up her thoughts on Fulwiley’s season ahead. Host Ros Gold-Onwude talked about this difference, noting that Fulwiley had a specific role at South Carolina.

“And I, too, think like she had a role that she was really, you know, good at. But also maybe it was the only role presented to her where she would come in and change the game with explosive play, explosive speed, really great going to the rim or in transition, just fast break opportunities,” she said. She pointed out, “That is a very different skill set than having speed in a half court set or being in charge of running the offense or being somebody who can set up plays, you know, or slow the game down. And we will have the chance to see if she can combine all of that.”

The upcoming season is going to be a real test to see if Fulwiley can blend her natural, high-flying skills with the focused, strategic needs of being a primary ball-handler. The Tigers definitely have a lot of talent, but we’ll just have to wait and see if Fulwiley can really shine with this team. Did you know that even before the season kicked off, she was already on an award watchlist?

There are a lot of expectations on MiLaysia Fulwiley

MiLaysia Fulwiley made herself quite clear why she was joining LSU, as she wanted to “go to a program where I could still compete for a national championship and still play for a great coach, and a coach that kind of knows what they’re doing.” Well, it seems like that decision is paying off; feedback on Fulwiley’s performance under her new head coach has been positive in the preseason.

Recently, LSU Women’s basketball reported that, “MiLaysia Fulwiley has been named to the Nancy Lieberman Award Preseason Watchlist!” The award, now celebrating its 27th year, recognizes the best floor leaders in the nation—those players who can handle the ball, create plays, and run the offense with the same skill that Nancy Lieberman was known for.

LSU fans have a lot to look forward to since Temeka Johnson is the only Tiger to have snagged that award, and now Fulwiley is ready to shine. Fulwiley, a 5-foot-10 guard who came to LSU this offseason, is already making a splash. During her time in South Carolina, she played in 77 games, coming off the bench for all but three of them. She averaged 11.7 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.6 steals each game. She was involved in two consecutive national championship runs and even snagged a title during her freshman year. Well, I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what she brings to the table when the season kicks off.