LSU’s $36 million coach Kim Mulkey makes her feelings crystal clear on MiKaylah Williams

LSU Tigers head coach Kim Mulkey is having quite the 2024-2025 season amid an undefeated 8-0 record. The dominating performance LSU has shown is a testament to why the school signed her to a lucrative 10-year, $36 million deal just a year ago.

On the heels of Mulkey's gigantic contract, however, lies a $2 million termination clause for the LSU Board of Supervisors should they decide to let her go at any point of the contract, per Sportico. This is why victories such as Wednesday's 82-65 Baha Mar Pink Flamingo Championship 2024 win over NC State all the more matter for the 2023 NCAA champion coach.

Mulkey is also banking on the development of her players to keep her portfolio at a high level. Sophomore guard Mikaylah Williams paved the way to the Nov. 27 win with 24 points, three rebounds, and two steals after an abysmal scoreless outing in their last game against Washington.

During the post-game press conference, Mulkey talked about the continued progression of her second-year standout with her bounce back game, expressing:

"Mikaylah is her own worst critic. She’s brought up in a family of basketball players and sometimes, she makes things too hard on herself. But, this doesn’t surprise me."

"She’s at a level now where she’s going to have games like that, but you can’t dwell on it. She deals with plantar fasciitis and when she gets healthy, that young lady is special,” she added.

For the year, Williams is producing 13.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.7 steals per contest. The Tigers will host the North Carolina Central Eagles on Sunday. If Mulkey wants to reap in more regular season success, she'll need more of the same from her budding star.

Kim Mulkey believes that LSU can win the chip post-Angel Reese departure

Kim Mulkey and Angel Reese sharing a hug. (Image Credits: Imagn)

Kim Mulkey was also asked on what she thinks LSU can bring to the table in this year's fight for the championship. After winning it all in 2023 with then-junior star Angel Reese, Mulkey believes that her team has a new identity moving forward.

"Before the tournament, I think people would say our perimeter is pretty good and we have depth. But after the Washington game, both posts had double-doubles and a lot of offensive boards, so I think they took it to heart," she said.

"We know we don’t have Angel Reese, we know what we’ve lost, but we’re not trying to be Angel Reese. We’re trying to be who we are and we’re pretty good players down there in the post," she expounded.

In the 2022-2023 season, the LSU Tigers went all the way to the NCAA Championship where they defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes, 102-85, in the Finals. Last season, however, they were outmatched by Iowa, 94-87, in the Albany Regional Finals of the NCAA Tournament.