LSU HC welcomes Tigers icon Seimone Augustus as the assistant coach of the team: “I was always impressed with her leadership”

Former LSU Tigers standout Seimone Augustus has joined the staff of her alma mater as an assistant coach under coach Kim Mulkey. The former WNBA star helped to lead the Tigers to their first Final Four appearance in 2004 before repeating the feat in 2005 and 2006.

Augustus is one of the greatest LSU athletes, regardless of sport. Last year, she had a statue of herself unveiled in front of the Pete Maravich Assembly Center to commemorate her contributions to the program.

Augustus is a three-time Olympic gold medalist, four-time WNBA champion, two-time EuroCup winner and two-time national college player of the year. Her No. 33 is retired by both LSU and the Minnesota Lynx.

LSU coach Kim Mulkey was full of praise for Augustus, who is from Baton Rouge, after the announcement of her return was made.

“It is an exciting day for the LSU Women’s Basketball program to bring Seimone Augustus back to join our staff,” Mulkey said. “As a player at LSU, Seimone helped transform the program as the best player in the nation.

“Competing against Seimone and watching her play professionally and internationally, I was always impressed with her leadership and basketball IQ. Those are the intangibles I’m excited about her bringing to our program. She has experiences at the highest level of success that will allow her to be an outstanding mentor to our student-athletes.”

Seimone Augustus comes home

Seimone Augustus is the LSU women's basketball program's all-time scoring leader (2,702 points). She was the two-time national player of the year (Naismith, Wooden, Wade and Honda Sports Award for basketball) and two-time Southeastern Conference Player of the Year in 2005 and 2006.

Augustus, the No. 1 pick in the 2006 WNBA draft and the Rookie of the Year award-winner that season, had a legendary professional career, winning four WNBA titles, including being named an All-Star eight times and earning the 2011 WNBA Finals MVP award.

Her arrival at LSU is to fill former assistant coach Johnny Derrick's spot after he retired at the end of last season.

Augustus expressed her delight at joining the LSU Tigers staff, namechecking coaches Kim Mulkey and Bob Starkey in her unveiling announcement.

“Life always guides you to where you belong,” Augustus said. “Thus, my path has led me home. Gracing me with an opportunity to further my coaching career within a program that I hold dearly.

"They say experience is the greatest teacher, I am truly excited about the knowledge and wisdom I will gain working alongside of legendary Coach Mulkey and reconnecting with my former coach, Coach Bob Starkey. A Fighting Tiger once more, I look forward to pouring into this generation of Lady Tigers. Once A Tiger, Always A Tiger. A new chapter begins. See you at the PMAC.”

Augustus will try to help the Tigers get over the loss of marquee player Angel Reese, also considered an LSU legend, and try to impart her skills on a team led by guard Flau'jae Johnson.

For her achievements, Seimone Augustus was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in March and will be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame later this year.