“Bring in players that can help you continue to be relevant.” Well, oops—Kim Mulkey isn’t just staying relevant; she’s rewriting the offseason playbook. After snatching Milaysia Fulwiley from right under Dawn Staley’s polished nose to patch up her backcourt, Mulkey doubled down, raiding the nation’s top recruits like a coach on a mission. Four of ESPN’s top 35 now wear purple and gold, while Staley, ever the chess master, calmly fortifies her squad. But let’s be real—Mulkey isn’t playing chess. She’s playing high-stakes poker, and once again, she’s all in.
After losing star forward Aneesah Morrow and seeing what could only be described as a full-blown roster purge in the off-season, Mulkey saw Sa’Myah Smith, Last-Tear Poa, Aalyah Del Rosario, Jersey Wolfenbarger, Mjracle Sheppard, and Amani Bartlett walk out the door in less than two months. Reload or risk irrelevance—that was the only playbook left.
And reload she did, in pure Mulkey fashion.
She filled the Morrow-sized hole with Fulwiley and added Meghan Yarnevich, Amiya Joyner, and Kate Koval. But Mulkey wasn’t done yet. She knew experience alone wouldn’t cut it—she needed fresh blood, top-tier talent, and some serious hype.
Enter the nation’s top recruits.
According to SportsCenter’s viral post on Instagram, LSU flexed its recruiting muscle, hauling in No. 7 Grace Knox, No. 10 Zzakiyah Johnson, No. 24 Divine Bourrage, and No. 32 Isabella Hines, all from ESPN HoopGurlz’ 2025 class.
This puts LSU way ahead of the pack—leapfrogging Tennessee’s Kim Caldwell, who is quietly stacking talent, and even Dawn Staley, who secured No. 6 Agot Maker and No. 15 Ayla McDowell but opted for precision over volume.
But here’s the kicker: Does Staley even need to go all-in?
Probably not.
Despite fielding a young core in 2024-25, Staley’s roster stability speaks volumes. She lost just five players—three to the draft, two to the portal—and plugged key gaps by signing center Sakima Walker, shoring up the paint after their NCAA finals stumble.
And with her fresh pair of wings in Maker and McDowell, Staley might have all the ammo she needs to light it up when it counts.
For now, Mulkey may be winning the offseason headlines. But Staley? She’s still got the SEC crown until someone takes it from her.
Staley Eyes No. 1 Recruit as Mulkey Rebuilds for 2025
And to retain it, Staley is already cooking…
She has her sights firmly set on Saniyah Hall, the No. 1 recruit of the Class of 2026 according to On3’s Industry Rankings and no1 on ESPN’s top 100 national recruits with a rating of 97. The 6-foot-2 small forward out of Montverde Academy recently took a visit to South Carolina, and the excitement is palpable.
NCAA, College League, USA Womens Basketball: Louisiana State at South Carolina Jan 24, 2025 Columbia, South Carolina, USA LSU Lady Tigers guard Flau Jae Johnson 4 drives against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the second half at Colonial Life Arena. Columbia Colonial Life Arena South Carolina USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xJeffxBlakex 20250124_djc_ay3_048
During her visit, Hall shared pictures of herself in a Gamecocks jersey with Coach Staley by her side, but the real highlight was an Instagram story where the two were seen dancing to “Get Down on It.” The fun moment sparked speculation that Hall might be on the verge of committing to South Carolina.
A X user, Brys Underwood, even posted a video of Staley dancing with Hall with the caption “Did Dawn Staley just snag another top player for South Carolina?? “
With an impressive high school career that includes averages of 22.9 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 3.3 steals per game, Hall is already being pursued by top programs like Ohio State and USC. But as Staley continues to build her program, landing Hall could be the game-changer she needs. As Staley faces a fierce race with Ohio State for her commitment, it’s clear she’s not just building for today, but for a dominant future.
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