When Mikaylah Williams notched 42 points against Kent State, it felt as if she had been a Lady Tiger for years. She became the first-ever LSU freshman to have such a spectacular start. Had Williams not mentioned it herself, it would have been hard to believe that she had any trouble adjusting to collegiate play after high school. While she was, of course, phenomenal in high school, she faced one challenge in transitioning to a new role at LSU, one of the powerhouses of collegiate girls’ basketball.

Speaking on ‘Best of Both Worlds with Flau’jae Johnson,‘ Mikaylah was asked about the difficulty of moving from one level to another. She explained how the mindset required at the college level was quite different. In high school, she had a lot of freedom, and it was mostly about just playing ball. 

But at LSU, it means playing more within a structured system. “But being at LSU is like working within a system, too. I ain’t never had to do that before because, you know, in high school, you are the system.  So, like, working into the system, playing with other great players, I mean, that was the biggest adjustment for me,” Williams said.

The No. 1 ranked recruit in the class of 2023 had long set her sights on LSU. Primarily because it would be just a four-hour drive from her home. Further solidifying her decision to head to Baton Rouge were the Tigers’ players.

Coach Kim Mulkey and assistant coach Daphne Mitchell had been recruiting her, and after much thought, Mikaylah finally committed to the program. It also turned out to be great for Coach Gary Redus as well, as Williams started more than 16 games in her freshman year.

However, it was also interesting how the freshman coming into a college that had just won a National Championship and was under a lot of eyes, owing to Angel Reese-Caitlin Clark rivalry, the guard did not feel any pressure and started a large number of games alongside Flau’jae Johnson and Reese. It was also due to the unspoken promise that Mikaylah sought, and Coach Mulkey is eager to fulfill it.

Kim Mulkey assured Mikaylah Williams with one promise

One thing that Coach Mulkey promised Williams was to bring the right players around her to win games. As mentioned before, the coach and the entire LSU staff were over the moon when Mikaylah committed to the program. 

“We promised that we would make sure that she had players around her and that she wouldn’t be here by herself. She wanted to come in and win and we promised that we would put pieces around her to where she could win,” Williams said. 

Her 42 points helped LSU secure a 109-79 victory over Kent State. She shot 75% from the field and was 5 for 8 on three-pointers. In her first regular-season game, she scored 17 points; however, the team lost 92-78 to the Buffaloes. It is safe to say, that she had made the transition quite successfully. And now with one year of experience as a Lady Tiger under her belt, we can only expect a great season at PMAC.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.