Kim Mulkey hire makes clear LSU’s commitment to excellence

The numbers are all there to check out.

The accomplishments are there for all to see.

Kim Mulkey is a Louisiana legend from Tickfaw.

Mulkey’s time as a player at Hammond High was magical.

So was her time at Louisiana Tech as a player.

Then, she was what many thought to be the heir apparent to take over at Tech, a women’s basketball power.

Surprisingly, make that shockingly, Mulkey was not that person.

Louisiana Tech has never been the same after Leon Barmore’s departure when Mulkey, his most important assistant, was not named head coach.

Tech’s loss was Baylor’s gain.

LSU has not won a national championship in women’s basketball but the Tigers were a national factor, making the women’s Final Four five straight times from 2004-08.

Sue Gunter did a nice job at LSU, leading LSU to 14 NCAA Tournament appearances and an NCAA Final Four.

Pokey Chatman led the Lady Tigers to three straight Final Fours after Gunter retired and Van Chancellor took LSU to a fifth consecutive Final four.

Nikki Fargas started well, taking LSU to NCAA tournaments in five of six years. The longer Fargas stayed, the Tigers became less relevant, particularly in the last three seasons.

The hiring of Mulkey displays a firm commitment on the part of the university and athletic director Scott Woodward to women’s basketball.

To get a coach the caliber of Mulkey speaks volumes and sends a message to prospective recruits that LSU is in it to win it.

All Mulkey knows is winning.

She won state championships as a player every year at Hammond.

She won two national titles as a player at Louisiana Tech.

She won a national championship as an assistant at Tech.

She won three national championships as the head coach at Baylor.

For those who have opined that the hire should have happened previously, have at it.

Would Mulkey have considered this position previously, under a different athletic administration?

Why would she leave an elite program at Baylor now?

Perhaps Mulkey wants to finish her career in Louisiana.

Perhaps going to many LSU baseball games when her son, Kramer played LSU, was a factor in seeing the support the school athletic programs can generate.

Perhaps she feels a real commitment to succeed in a very good basketball conference.

See those five Final Four banners up there? Nowhere does it say national champion.

🗣 That Is What I Came Here To Do pic.twitter.com/ljnVeVrPVb

— LSU Women's Basketball (@LSUwbkb) April 26, 2021

Mulkey is the ultimate competitor who burns to win.

She has recruited top Louisiana players to Baylor.

Now, she can keep them home, in state.

Mulkey would not have taken the job if she did not think she could succeed.

At 58, Mulkey still has plenty of game.

Now, she hopes to bring that game to Baton Rouge, in a sport that many schools, including several SEC schools, have made a serious commitment to winning and winning big.

It used to be Tennessee’s domain under Pat Summit.

South Carolina and Mississippi State have proven to be elite programs in recent years while Texas A&M has a national championship to its credit.

With Mulkey in place, it is realistic to believe that LSU can join those ranks but it might take multiple years to get there.

Mulkey won the press conference Monday. Now she will go about the business of trying to build a big winner in Baton Rouge.

Kudos to LSU for making a bold move and making a bold commitment to women’s basketball.

For many years, the NFL Raiders have utilized the slogan “Commitment to Excellence.”

LSU has borrowed that phrase with it’s hire of Mulkey.