LSU and Kim Mulkey have agreed to a 10-year contract extension worth $32 million, making her the highest-paid women’s basketball coach in the country, according to multiple reports. Here’s what you need to know:
- The deal must be approved by the LSU Board of Supervisors, which meets Friday.
- Mulkey, 61, led the Tigers to their first NCAA title last season, her second with the program.
- Mulkey was scheduled to make $2.5 million annually through the 2028-29 season.
- The average annual value of her new contract will surpass that of UConn’s Geno Auriemma, who makes about $3 million per year.
The Athletic’s instant analysis:
Mulkey overhauled LSU’s program almost overnight
When LSU officially hired Mulkey on April 25, 2021, changes within the program began almost immediately. According to The Athletic, the program brought in around $1.3 million in the first ten days after she was hired. They moved into a new training room and new offices. Mulkey and her staff then rebuilt their squad in the transfer portal. In just its second season, LSU won its first title in school history. Even she was surprised by her instant success, saying after her win over Virginia Tech in the Final Four, “It’s crazy how much my life has changed in a year, how much I’ve grown on and off the court.” And then “Being at this great program, LSU, and being with my great teammates and great coaches – I just don’t know how to feel right now.” – Pickman
How will the Tigers perform this season?
This past offseason, no school brought in more talent through the transfer portal than LSU. They’ve already entered the 2023-24 season as a top-three team, with Angel Reese and Flau’jae Johnson returning, and they’ve secured one of the top two recruiting classes in the country. They then added star guard Hailey Van Lith from Louisville and star forward Aneesah Morrow from DePaul, giving them even more experience and offensive versatility. Mulkey will be tasked with getting the most out of her high-performing group. The Tigers will likely enter the season as the AP preseason No. 1 team and could very well repeat as champions. – Pickman
Backstory
Mulkey has won four national championships as a head coach, the first three with Baylor in 2005, 2012 and 2019. She is a three-time AP college basketball coach of the year and an eight-time Big 12 coach of the year.
Mulkey has a 692-112 record (.861 winning percentage) in her 23-year head coaching career. She is the fastest coach in Division I women’s basketball history to reach 600 career wins, needing just 700 games to reach the mark.
The Tigers enter the 2023-24 season with hopes of making it back to back-to-back. LSU returns Reese, Johnson, Kateri Poole, Sa’Myah Smith and Last-Tear Poa from its 2023 championship team and added Van Lith via transfer this offseason.
Required reading
(Photo: Kirby Lee / USA Today)