The much-discussed story revolving around Kim Mulkey, as reported by Kent Babb of the Washington Post, made headlines this past Saturday.
In a comprehensive profile, Babb reveals Mulkey’s remarks in two separate emails, where she purportedly attributed LSU star Angel Reese’s absence from an awards list last year to her GPA, expressing discontent over some players’ preoccupation with “social media crap.”
It was previously disclosed that Reese was excluded from the Wooden Award list last season due to her ineligibility.
Despite impressive averages of 23.4 points and 15.6 rebounds per game for one of the nation’s top teams at the time, Reese was conspicuously missing from the list of 15 finalists released in March 2023.
ESPN’s Alexa Philippou reported that LSU confirmed Reese’s ineligibility for the award’s finalists list due to her failure to meet all criteria, though specifics were not provided.
According to criteria outlined on the Wooden Award website, candidates must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.00 since enrollment, demonstrate character both on and off the court, contribute significantly to team efforts, and excel in offensive and defensive play.
Mulkey, at the time, asserted that Reese was “in good academic standing,” suggesting that her exclusion may have been due to other unspecified criteria.
However, Reese faced a setback earlier this season when she missed four consecutive games from Nov. 17-25 for undisclosed reasons, following a benching during a Nov. 14 game against Kent State.
In response to inquiries regarding Reese’s absence, Mulkey cryptically stated, “I could, but I won’t,” attributing it to a “coach’s decision” following the Tigers’ victory.
Later, speaking after a win against Texas Southern on Nov. 20, Mulkey hinted at potential locker room issues, emphasizing her commitment to protecting her players.
During this time, there was speculation surrounding Reese’s absence, prompting a social media exchange between the mothers of Reese and her LSU teammate, Flau’jae Johnson. Reese herself took to social media to urge caution in believing everything being circulated.
Despite the turbulence, Reese returned to LSU’s starting lineup for a game against Virginia Tech on Nov. 30 and has since played every game, aiding in the team’s victory over UCLA.
Amidst tournament games, Mulkey took an unsolicited stance, threatening legal action against the Washington Post if they published what she deemed a “hit piece” against her.
Expressing frustration over what she deemed an unreasonable deadline for response, Mulkey accused the reporter of attempting to undermine her team’s focus during the tournament.
When questioned during a press conference, Mulkey declined to elaborate further on the matter, emphasizing her focus on winning.
Currently in her third season as LSU’s head coach, Mulkey joined the program in April 2021 after a lengthy and successful tenure at Baylor, where she secured three national titles. LSU clinched its first-ever national championship under her leadership last season.
