“I left a great institution, I left a dynasty”: When Kim Mulkey reflected on coming back to Louisiana to lead LSU

LSU coach Kim Mulkey has transformed the Tigers into a national brand ever since she arrived in Baton Rouge in 2021. The Tigers have consistently been one of the top teams in the nation even, winning a national championship in 2023.

During an in-house interview that was posted on LSU's YouTube page in 2022, the outspoken Mulkey reflected on coming back to coach the Tigers (8:41).

"I think there were a lot of emotions involved," Kim Mulkey said. "One, I left a great institution. I left a dynasty. I had the emotion of leaving young people that I recruited to come and who believed in me. And yet, that emotion was still very real. But yet, when I stood at that podium and spoke, I'm looking out at that audience, at the governor, family, friends, people I haven't seen in 40 years.

"And they were there to support me coming back and to help build this program back to where peopleawant it to be and where people remembered it. I think it was just twofold. The emotions of leaving a place that I raised my children but yet, this was home and it just felt so good."

Kim Mulkey played basketball for the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters between 1980 and 1984, even winning the inaugural NCAA national championship.

Kim Mulkey delivered on her LSU promise

Before she arrived in Baton Rouge in 2021 to coach the LSU Tigers, Kim Mulkey had built a successful career winning three national championships as coach of the Baylor Bears. During her presentation as Tigers coach, the veteran made a promise to the fans.

“I made a statement and asked everybody to turn around and look at those Final Four banners. Nowhere on there did it say 'national champions.’ And that’s what I came home to do.”

Two years after making her promise, with the help of the talented Angel Reese, Mulkey delivered LSU's first national championship in basketball. During her postgame news conference, the outspoken Mulkey revealed how she felt during the championship game.

“With about 1:30 to go, I couldn’t hold it. I got very emotional,” Mulkey said. “That’s really not like me until the buzzer goes off, but I knew we were going to hold on and win this game. I don’t know if it’s the mere fact that we’re doing this in my second year back home. I don’t know if it was the fact I am home. I don’t know if I was looking across there at my daughter and my grandchildren. I don’t know if I was looking across at LSU. I don’t know what it was, but I lost it.

The LSU Tigers will go into the 2025 NCAA Tournament with high expectations, commonplace in the Kim Mulkey era.