When Kim Mulkey’s Baylor Bears went invincible in 2011-12, only two players on the roster were not with her for all of their college ball years. That is how it used to be: you recruited the best for their freshman year, and you got to mold each one of them into the player you wanted. But then, that all changed in 2018.

The NCAA introduced the transfer portal, and now a player could just play for a different team every year of their eligibility. It could even mean an entire rebuild by a season. From the players’ perspective, it was a dream move; they could maximize their potential. For the coaches, it was a job made harder.

The legendary coach Kim Mulkey reflected on this process in an exclusive interview with GetGordon. “I was just reading the other day how many men’s teams and women’s teams lost their entire roster. You work a lifetime to recruit some of these kids and just like that they are gone.”  

Very few would know the recruiting game better than Kim Mulkey, who managed to sign a No.1 class thrice in her years at LSU. She has followed her players for years, flown across cities and states, and kept things honest from the get-go in landing her players. Consider Sa’myah Smith, the forward, she kept an eye on since her time at Baylor and managed to recruit as an LSU Tiger. Now, Caroline Bradley, a top prospect of the 2027 class, is already seeing Mulkey’s efforts. But it’s back to the drawing board with so many of these, and this season, it included Smith, too.

While the head coach has managed to pull together a new look with top transfers, no one can deny the sting of losing someone you had poured years of interest and effort into. This is especially hard for Mulkey, who has lived through the changing landscape. But she isn’t dwelling over it, either.

“We’ve also lost some players that break your heart that you wish you hadn’t lost but they all leave for different reasons. And in this day and time, you don’t get your feelings hurt, you don’t become angry over it, you try and talk them into staying, but they all have their agenda that they are looking for,” she added.

LSU lost 6 players to the transfer portal this year. Some would have wanted more minutes on the court; some would have wanted a different position than what Mulkey is playing them in. For some, it could be the NIL, too.

Sa’Myah Smith, Last-Tear Poa, Aalyah Del Rosario, Jersey Wolfenbarger, Mjracle Sheppard, and Amani Bartlett went through the door for LSU. Smith was more of a surprise, considering her performances in the playoffs had impressed Mulkey enough. However, she chose to take her talents to Virginia to play under Amaka Agugua-Hamilton.

On the other hand, Poa could have gone in search of more starts as she played 102 games with the LSU with just 27 starts. The same applies to Del Rosario, who couldn’t really make a name for herself being a five-star recruit; she would be looking for a restart and more playing time at Vanderbilt.

“She just has a knack for just being a little annoying out there defensively,” is what Mulkey had to say regarding Mjracle Shepperd after she played just two games for her. She backed her even after her injuries mid-season, but seeing the talent coming in to LSU’s backcourt, Sheppard would have thought it best to leave rather than warm the benches.

Speaking about the talent coming in, Mulkey has successfully secured commitments from transfer forwards Kate Koval (Notre Dame) and Amiya Joyner (East Carolina) as well as South Carolina guard MiLaysia Fulwiley. They also have the best high school recruits in their No. 1 recruiting class in America.

Freshman or experienced transfers, the Tigers head coach goes all in. She was once again geared up for that this off-season, but fate threw a kinder note her way.

‘One time’: Kim Mulkey reveals what took to convince Fulwiley

The LSU Tigers made a major splash when they landed the former South Carolina Gamecocks guard MiLaysia Fulwiley. With LSU and South Carolina being such fierce rivals, many didn’t think Fulwiley would go to their direct rival. But it’s a brave new world and rivalries stay aside when you have the chance to play under one of the most decorated college basketball coaches of all time. People would have expected LSU to have gone above and beyond for a player like Fulwiley from their rivals, but Mulkey has revealed that it was light work to convince her.

Mulkey said, “It didn’t take much. I spoke to her and her mother one time. One time. And she has not even come here on a visit. She has played against us enough to know our style of play. These young people do their homework. They look at rosters; they look at openings in the starting five; they look at openings in the rotation… and she pretty much, I think, had her mind made up.” She further said, “And it was not an easy thing to sell, but you’re always nervous. And that’s what makes it not easy.”

It wasn’t really a surprise if you look at Fulwiley’s situation closely. She wasn’t likely to get more playing time at South Carolina and then there was the rumor of clashes with Dawn Staley.

“But sometimes players don’t really have the patience to sit and stay in line. Everybody wants to play now, and they want to play the whole time. And I get it. It’s not that any kid shouldn’t want to, but we’ll see if the grass is greener on the other side,” Lisa Leslie would say.

Well, it’s a win for Mulkey in the end. LSU had a pretty successful portal, with two of LSU’s three transfers being ranked in the top 15 of ESPN’s rankings. They are looking fierce and set to challenge for the title.