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LSU coach Kim Mulkey and a history of callousness
After LSU’s star forward Angel Reese missed her second straight game, her coach, Kim Mulkey, described her team as “like a family.” It was the language of manipulation, and just days before a traditional holiday feast, some people ate it up.
“I’m going to protect my players — always. They are like a family,” Mulkey said. “Those kids are like my children and I’m not going to tell you what you don’t need to know, and that’s just the way I address things.”
At the head of women’s basketball in Tigers Country is a leader with a history of callousness. Before Reese was sent to the bench, there was the discarding of Brittney Griner — as a college player over her sexual orientation and then her freedom after her detainment in Russia as a pro player.
“It was a recruiting thing,” Griner said of the reason players were told not to speak out publicly about their sexuality during her time at Baylor. “The coaches thought that if it seemed like they condoned it, people wouldn’t let their kids come play for Baylor.”
Silence as consent was Mulkey’s code then, and it was also her mode of operation during Griner’s imprisonment in Russia. The coach’s refusal to speak up was heavily criticized including being called “cruel and evil” by women’s soccer icon Megan Rapinoe.
After LSU’s win over Southeastern Louisiana on Nov. 17, a noticeably sick Mulkey put her beliefs about COVID testing on full display:
“I ain’t a sissy. I don’t have allergies,” Mulkey said. “I’ve got some kind of cold. It might be COVID, but I ain’t testing. It’s sinuses. I don’t know what you call it — allergies, flu, I don’t know. So, if y’all get the flu, blame me during Thanksgiving.”
Mulkey’s disregard for the rules offers a perspective into a world that subjugates labor and exalts those in authority.
By definition, it’s sociopathy — a disregard for people’s well-being. This happens a lot in sports, but we disregard it because the currency that matters in competition is winning. Why would anyone want to play for Mulkey? Because she wins basketball games. This is the beginning of her third campaign in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and she doesn’t have double-digit losses.
Her behavior, often controversial, has been allowed for decades. Why in the world would she stop now?
• Nika Mühl had 450 assists after the UCLA game. She recorded 6 in the Kansas game bringing her total to 456. She passed Katie Lou Samuelson and tied Shea Ralph to move into a tie for 18th place. Svetlana Abrosimova has 473.
• Paige Bueckers has 953 career points, so needs 47 to reach the 1000 point milestone.
Paige 19, Aubrey 16, KK 8, Nika 7, Ashlynn 3, Qadence -1, Amari -3, Ice -3, Aaliyah -6.
Yikes!
UConn 58 Kansas 37.
Aubrey 21, Paige 17, Nika 11, Aaliyah 10, KK 2, Ashlynn 1, Amari -1,
Qadence -2, Ice -4.
Season totals active players: Paige 107, Aubrey 85, Aaliyah 73, Nika 57, KK 48, Qadence 22, Ashlynn 21, Caroline 7, Ice 00, Ines -1, Amari -5.
Season per minute: Paige .63, Aubrey .58, Aaliyah .42, KK .35, Qadence .33, Nika .31, Ashlynn .27, Caroline .12, Ice 0, Ines -.10, Amari -.22.
