“Michael Jordan got cut from his high school team, I think he’s pretty great”: Kim Mulkey shares her advice for Mikaylah Williams 

Mikaylah Williams enjoyed a memorable homecoming last afternoon, as the LSU Tigers crushed the Grambling State Tigers 100–54 at Bossier City. The sophomore continued her fine start to the season, scoring 16 points and recording six rebounds, five assists, two blocks and three steals in another solid all-round performance for the 2023 national champions.

During the postgame press conference, Mulkey was quizzed about what she saw in Williams, both on and off the court, when she recruited her ahead of last season. After appreciating her background and her journey through high school basketball at Parkway, she spoke about how she has evolved mentally during her time at Baton Rouge.

Mulkey also referenced NBA legend Michael Jordan being cut from his high school basketball team to offer some advice for Williams regarding her mentality.

"She's a young lady, she wants to please you, she never wants to mess up, she wants to be perfect, she wants to be great," Mulkey said. "And, I tell her all the time, great ones have bad games, great ones miss shots. Michael Jordan got cut from his high school team, and I think he was pretty great.

So, that's Mikaylah's mentality and you love that as a coach as long as they don't take it out of perspective." (5:19)

Jordan admitted in an appearance on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" in 1997 that although he was initially upset, the move from his high school basketball coach, Clifton Herring, helped him improve.

Fifteen years later, Herring revealed in an interview with Sports Illustrated that he did not cut Jordan from the team. Instead, he relegated MJ to the junior varsity team as he felt his shooting and defense needed work.

Mikaylah Williams makes strong start to 2024-25 season

Mikaylah Williams, the 2024 SEC Freshman of the Year, has established herself as a key player in Mulkey's setup. So far, she has averaged 16.2 points, 4.5 assists and 2.6 assists, leading the Tigers to a perfect start in their opening 11 games.

LSU gained a spot and moved to fourth place in the latest update of the AP Top 25. They will be keen to maintain their momentum in their next game against the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns at the Pete Maravich Center on Sunday at 3:00 p.m. ET.