“I felt like this is where I’ve been my whole life”: Kim Mulkey gets 100% real on coming back to lead LSU

In a recent podcast appearance, Kim Mulkey, the bombastic boss of LSU women's hoops looked over multiple aspects of her career. Host Gordon McKernan engaged Mulkey on her decision to return to Louisiana to coach the Tigers after a lengthy and successful tenure at Baylor.

"The opportunity to come back home" for Mulkey

"I wasn't born in Louisiana. Six months were spent in California because my father was finishing up the Marine Corps.... All I've ever known is this state, until I moved to Baylor [in 2000].... So I went to Baylor for 21 years and I came back here. They asked me if this was a big adjustment. No, not at all. I felt like this is where I've been my whole life. And now to have the opportunity to come back home, that's what it was about for me."-- Kim Mulkey

Mulkey's Louisiana roots

Mulkey grew up in the tiny town of Tickfaw, Louisiana, a hamlet of less than 1,000 people. She parlayed her own success into playing basketball at Louisiana Tech, a school in Ruston, Louisiana. Aside from success in women's hoops, Tech is probably best known for being the alma mater of NBA star Karl Malone.

Mulkey was a tenacious 5-foot-4 point guard at Tech and won an AIAW title and then the first NCAA Tournament title as a player. She even earned a gold medal at the 1984 Olympics.

In an era before a multitude of professional options for women's players, Mulkey became an assistant coach at Tech under coach Leon Barmore. Barmore took Tech to the Final Four nine times, although a national title eluded his grasp.

Mulkey was an assistant and then associate coach under Barmore, but in 2000, left to become a head coach at Baylor

Baylor years

Mulkey took over a Baylor team that had gone 7-20 the year before her arrival and immediately won 21 games and reached the NCAA Tournament. In 2005, Mulkey won her first national title with Baylor. She went on to add two more, including a perfect 40-0 season in 2012.

Returning home

Mulkey moved on to LSU in April 2021. She has already claimed another national title with the Tigers. Both Mulkey's excellent recruiting and her fiery style of leadership tend to draw national attention. At 62 years old, Mulkey has 754 career wins and should be around college hoops for years to come.

What do you think of Mulkey and her return back to Louisiana? Share your take on the successful but controversial icon below in our comments section!