Who replaces Kim Mulkey at LSU when the time comes? Nobody is officially asking yet. But LSU fans already have an ideal candidate in mind.

Mulkey brought Gary Redus on board as an assistant just before her second season in charge of the Lady Tigers. Four seasons, one championship, and two top-ranked recruiting classes later, Redus is now transitioning to another stage in his career. The 36-year-old is now taking his first-ever head coaching job at any level, tasked with turning around the Rutgers program.

There is no question that Kim Mulkey is losing one of her most valued pieces. By her own admission, Redus was a constant joy to be around, both on and off the court. And while letting him go could not have been easy, she made it clear that his happiness and growth as a coach took precedence over everything else. As she stated in her farewell message shared on LSU’s X page on Monday, she could not be happier for him to be getting a head coaching opportunity. 

Redus cherishes his four seasons under Mulkey, viewing it as a crucial period of growth under the Hall of Fame coach. As he stated in his response to the LSU farewell post, he found Mulkey’s support to be second to none, and was equally grateful for her backing as he takes this next step in his journey.

The journey ahead, however, doesn’t look like an easy one. Redus is inheriting a Rutgers program that finished with a 1-17 conference record in the 2025/26 season, the worst in the program’s Big Ten history. By any measure, this is a rebuild. Rutgers Athletic Director Keli Zinn has already expressed her trust in Redus. She cited his recruiting pedigree, championship experience at LSU, and ability to restore the program’s proud tradition as the reasons behind the appointment. For Rutgers fans, they can only take her word for it and hope that the restoration happens exactly as advertised.

LSU fans will also be looking over from the SEC, lending their support wherever possible. But maybe they will not be watching from a distance forever, as they already have Redus lined up as the only worthy successor in the event that Coach Kim Mulkey, who is currently in her 41st year of collegiate coaching, hangs it up.

Fans React to Gary Redus’ Farewell Message With a Bold Prediction for LSU’s Future

Gary Redus shared a farewell message, but all LSU fans seemed to read was “see you soon.” They are, in fact, already anointing him as the Tigers’ future head coach

One fan wrote, quite optimistically: “Make sure u find ur way back when Kim retires. Congratulations, my guy u really deserve.💛💜.” Another, equally hopeful, also wrote: “Geaux be Great, come back and take over when Kim hangs it up!”

Coach Kim Mulkey’s retirement, however, appears to be anything but imminent, at least not in the next seven years. She is currently tied to a 10-year contract signed in 2023, which runs through to 2033. And while Mulkey has had a long and decorated coaching career, she has not made any official indication of her intention to retire anytime soon.

Of course, LSU fans are also anything but tired of having Coach Kim Mulkey lead the Lady Tigers. She continues to maintain the program as a national powerhouse. She has, in fact, just concluded a regular season with an overall record of 27-5. If anything, the Redus succession talk is merely a wish that might come true one day in the future.

As another fan expressed: “Geaux be great bro! See you back at LSU when Mulkey retires.” The Redus succession is only desired in a future without Kim Mulkey, and that is a future nobody in Baton Rouge is in any hurry to see arrive. For now, LSU fans will be cheering him on from afar. As one fan simply put it: “Go be a great coach at Rutgers, I’ll be watching. Still your fan.” 

Hopefully, Redus goes on to be great at Rutgers and turns the program around, because only then would he have justified the fans’ desire and earned his place in the LSU succession conversation when that day comes.