Weeks after MiLaysia Fulwiley's LSU transfer, South Carolina insider gets candid on her personal moment: "It broke my mom's heart"

Former South Carolina star MiLaysia Fulwiley was named the SEC Sixth Woman of the Year for her role in coach Dawn Staley's tournament championship team. Fulwiley shocked college basketball fans when she entered the transfer portal in April after the Gamecocks' natty game loss to the UConn Huskies and joined coach Kim Mulkey's LSU Tigers.

During Saturday's segment of the "South Carolina Sideline" podcast, the reporter who broke the news of the talented Fulwiley leaving Columbia, Lulu Kesin, revealed how chaotically the news was received by South Carolina fans (6:55).

"Truthfully, I tweeted that and then just kind of like walked away," Lulu Kesin said. "I got a lot of texts that were like, 'Rest in peace to your notifications today and things like that. And it's like I just let everyone talk like around uh in my mentions, out of my you know, it was a conversation that was going to be had.

"I think that in general it's tough, it broke my mom's heart. My mom's favorite player ever is MiLaysia Fulwiley. So, you see the effect that these players have on fans and it's hard to be the one that obviously is like, 'They're leaving.' But at the same time that's my job and not reporting that when I found the information would not have been doing my job."

WNBA legend questions MiLaysia Fulwiley LSU move

MiLaysia Fulwiley was a key contributor to the South Carolina Gamecocks team that won last year's national title unbeaten averaging 18.4 minutes per game. Coach Dawn Staley revealed that Fulwiley demanded more minutes for the 2024-25 season but her minutes averaged only rose slightly to 18.9 minutes per game.

During a segment of the "Women's Fastbreak" podcast, WNBA legend Lisa Leslie questioned whether Fulwiley's move to LSU was the best decision for the confident player.

"Losing MiLaysia Fulwiley, that one I think is a little bit difficult. That hurts," Leslie said. "But sometimes players don't really have the patience to sit and stay in line. Everybody wants to play now, and they want to play the whole time. And I get it. It's not that any kid shouldn't want to, but we'll see if the grass is greener on the other side.

"I'm sure playing for LSU, MiLaysia will have more of a green light," she added. "My biggest suggestion [to college transfers] is remember that you're the same player. Because a lot of times we want to escape difficult times, and we want to be protected in those spaces. But life is not always easy. Sometimes it is hard."

MiLaysia Fulwiley will partner with LSU star Flau'jae Johnson who opted to stay in Baton Rouge for an extra season to form one of the most potent duos in college basketball.