The moment was monumental, the symbolism undeniable. On a humid June morning in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, a glistening bronze statue was unveiled just outside the Pete Maravich Assembly Center—etched in time, eyes fierce, fists clenched in celebration. It wasn’t a player. It wasn’t a former male coaching legend. It was Kim Mulkey—the woman who transformed LSU women’s basketball into a national juggernaut, the firebrand leader who brought championship glory to Baton Rouge, and now, the first woman in LSU Tigers basketball history to receive such an immortal tribute.
As the sheet fell from the statue, revealing Mulkey in her iconic sideline coaching pose—mouth open mid-roar, hands animated—the crowd erupted into thunderous applause. Current and former players, university administrators, fans adorned in purple and gold, and dignitaries from across the sports world gathered to celebrate what has quickly become a turning point in the cultural history of LSU Athletics.
Mulkey’s bronze likeness now stands among the pantheon of LSU legends, and justifiably so. Her impact on not just LSU, but women’s college basketball as a whole, has redefined expectations, shattered glass ceilings, and elevated the program into an elite echelon few thought possible before her arrival in 2021. In just a few short years, Mulkey didn’t just win. She conquered.
A Legacy Forged in Gold and Grit
Kim Mulkey’s journey to immortality at LSU didn’t start with a statue—it started with belief. When LSU hired Mulkey away from Baylor in 2021, the program had not seen the Final Four since the Sylvia Fowles era. Mulkey, already a three-time national champion coach with the Lady Bears, saw more than just a rebuilding opportunity in Baton Rouge. She saw destiny.
In just her second season at LSU, Mulkey guided the Tigers to the 2023 NCAA Championship, defeating Caitlin Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes in a dazzling, record-setting title game that drew over 9.9 million viewers. That 102–85 victory not only secured LSU’s first national championship in women’s basketball—it unleashed a cultural shift across Louisiana and the broader women’s sports landscape. Mulkey’s unapologetic passion, glitzy sideline outfits, and no-nonsense leadership style made her an icon overnight.
From Angel Reese to Flau’jae Johnson, Mulkey built a roster of empowered, high-performing women who embraced her intensity and thrived under her pressure-cooker philosophy. She didn’t just mold players—she built warriors.
“She’s more than a coach,” Reese said during the statue unveiling ceremony. “She’s a force. She made us believe that greatness isn’t something you wait for—it’s something you take.”
Baton Rouge’s Queen of the Court
Mulkey’s larger-than-life persona fit perfectly in a city known for its love of sports, its pride in tradition, and its unrelenting loyalty. It wasn’t long before LSU women’s basketball games began selling out, social media buzzed with her every move, and national networks fought to broadcast the Tigers’ games in primetime.
She revitalized a fan base and gave the LSU faithful something they hadn’t seen since the days of Sue Gunter or Seimone Augustus—consistent, dominant success. Mulkey didn’t inherit a powerhouse. She built one, brick by brick, and she did so while loudly demanding respect for women’s sports at every turn.
University President William Tate IV didn’t mince words at the ceremony. “Kim Mulkey didn’t just win games—she changed the narrative. She’s turned LSU into the epicenter of women’s college basketball, and we honor her today not just for her victories, but for her vision, her voice, and her unrelenting commitment to excellence.”
Why the Statue Matters
The statue—commissioned by LSU Athletics and crafted by renowned sculptor Brian Hanlon—represents far more than just a tribute to wins and titles. It represents progress. In an arena historically dominated by male figures, Mulkey’s immortalization sends a message that female coaches are equally worthy of celebration, heroism, and reverence.
For years, statues on college campuses have overwhelmingly honored men—Nick Saban at Alabama, Bobby Bowden at Florida State, Pat Dye at Auburn. With Mulkey’s statue, LSU becomes a pioneer in honoring women at the same level, and it underscores a growing shift in how universities value and enshrine the contributions of their female athletic leaders.
“It’s not just about me,” Mulkey said in her emotional speech. “It’s about every little girl who ever wanted to coach, every woman who had to fight for a seat at the table. This statue isn’t mine alone—it belongs to all of us.”
The image of Mulkey, mid-shout and mid-stride, evokes her signature style—fierce, demanding, electrifying. It stands tall not just as a tribute to her coaching acumen, but as a bold symbol of empowerment, resilience, and the elevation of women in sport.
The Championship Pedigree
Mulkey’s accomplishments are staggering. Between her tenures at Baylor and LSU, she boasts four NCAA championships, more than 700 career wins, and multiple national coach of the year awards. She’s a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as both a player and coach—one of only a few to achieve that rare dual distinction.
She recruited and developed some of the game’s biggest stars: Brittney Griner at Baylor, Angel Reese at LSU. And through it all, Mulkey has remained unapologetically herself—bold, brash, and deeply passionate.
In an era where coaches often sanitize their personalities to fit modern PR narratives, Mulkey remains refreshingly raw. She wears sequined tiger-striped blazers, calls out media double standards, and refuses to back down. That spirit—equal parts southern grit and championship swagger—is what endeared her to generations of fans.
Impact Beyond the Court
Perhaps Mulkey’s most enduring contribution isn’t in the banners that now hang in the PMAC rafters, but in the belief she instilled in a community. At a time when women’s sports continue fighting for equal airtime, funding, and respect, Mulkey gave LSU women’s basketball not just visibility, but cultural relevance.
She leveraged her platform to speak candidly about gender inequity, NIL challenges, and the need for continued investment in female athletics. Through it all, she has cultivated a program where young women are encouraged to be bold, proud, and unapologetically ambitious.
“She makes you believe you’re unstoppable,” said Flau’jae Johnson. “She teaches you that being a woman isn’t a limitation—it’s a superpower.”
A New Chapter for LSU and Women’s Sports
As LSU embarks on yet another promising season with Mulkey at the helm, the statue stands as both a look back and a push forward. It honors the past, yes—but more importantly, it signals the future. A future where more women coaches receive their flowers while still actively coaching. A future where young girls in Louisiana can walk past Mulkey’s statue, point to it, and say, “I can do that too.”
In a time when women’s college basketball is finally commanding the viewership and attention it has long deserved, Mulkey remains one of the sport’s fiercest advocates. Her impact reverberates far beyond Baton Rouge—echoing across courts in Columbia, Storrs, and Iowa City.
