LSU head coach Kim Mulkey on newcomers, post competition and more

Head coach Kim Mulkey has built rosters in different ways during her time at LSU, but this season leaves a lot of openings for competition: eight newcomers and no returning post players. For the Hall of Fame coach, it means the battle for minutes in the paint is wide open.

“There are five post players every day battling,” Mulkey told On3. “They bring different skills to the table – athleticism, bulk, rebounding, facing the basket, running the floor. Who plays with who could be interesting. Do I go big with [Amiya] Joyner and Kate [Koval]? Do I go small? Do I put Meg [Yarnevich] in there?… It’s fun to watch them compete, because they know all five of them are new, and they’re getting after it.”

One of those newcomers is freshman Grace Knox, a player whose athleticism Mulkey praises. 

“Her athleticism is just phenomenal,” Mulkey said. “She could probably run the 400 at an elite level in college. She plays really big in the post area, and while she can face up, she can also battle with the bigs back to the basket. She’s a young lady who wants you to challenge her and make her better.”

A late addition was freshman forward Yarnevich, who Mulkey describes as “rough and tough” inside. 

“She’s not going to back down…,” Mulkey said. “She’s very physical, and she’s going to be one of those players on the team that everybody just likes.” 

After a summer focused on getting her knees healthy, Mulkey believes she’s now catching up and doing the work.

Mulkey stressed that what will earn minutes for her young posts isn’t just skill but the fundamentals she’s always demanded. 

“We’re always going to be a team that stresses rebounding,” she said. “They know if you rebound the basketball, I’ll find a place for you, particularly if you’re an offensive rebounder. You’re going to have to defend. I’m not going to let you just let people catch a ball down there. Every team I’ve ever coached pretty much has that reputation, and that’s not ever going to change.”

Different players have flashed on different days, but one player Mulkey singled out was freshman ZaKiyah Johnson. 

“That kid reminds me of Nina Davis that I coached at Baylor,” Mulkey said. “Nina was the undersized post player, but she figured out ways to guard you, to score, and she just does her job. When the scrimmage is over, you go, wow.”

LSU’s splashiest offseason addition, though, was South Carolina transfer MiLaysia Fulwiley, a dynamic guard who looks to take on a new role. Mulkey has experimented with her at point guard while also keeping her off the ball. 

“As you’d expect when you haven’t played point guard at this level, I’m sure her head is spinning,” Mulkey said. “But I don’t want to take her away from the off guard either, because she’s so good at improvising during the game and making spectacular plays. I’ve got to figure out how to do both – make sure I can get enough out of her at the point and also not lose what she really likes to do on the wing. She’s easy to coach, and she said it best: ‘I’ve never worked this hard in my life.’”

With so many newcomers, Mulkey is taking a patient approach in evaluating each player. 

“I just need to give them the opportunity to play at this level and evaluate them,” she said. “I need to go, ‘when this one’s in the game, we need to do this. When that one’s in, she needs to play with that one.’ That just comes with time.”

Despite a new look, Mulkey’s expectations remain consistent.

“Our goals will always be the same,” Mulkey said. “Finish in the top half of the SEC, host the first and second round, go deep in the SEC tournament. When you do those things, good things happen in the postseason.”