As one of the most unapologetic coaches on the court, Kim Mulkey‘s journey has had more troughs and crests than a regular period drama. Though her coaching trajectory hasn’t been as smooth as other coaches, the headstrong HC boasts an 85.9% career win rate with 28 players drafted to the pros, 9 conference regular-season titles, 8 conference tournament championships, and 4 NCAA championships so far.
According to sources, another twist awaits Mulkey as one of her oldest and most loyal players, Amani Bartlett, is headed to the transfer portal. This will be a painful exit for Mulkey and the team as the LSU Tigers helplessly watch themselves lose another prominent frontcourt player to the transfers.
National Women’s College Basketball and Recruiting reporter, Talia Goodman, took to X to break the news. The caption bluntly revealed that Bartlett’s name had officially entered the transfer portal.
LSU’s Amani Bartlett has entered the transfer portal, sources told @On3sports.
The 6-3 senior averaged 0.6 ppg this season.
TRACKER: https://t.co/StsxDxjlYl pic.twitter.com/I23MW0OgOM
— Talia Goodman (@TaliaGoodmanWBB) April 16, 2025
Goodman also shared a tracking website where Bartlett’s name was clearly mentioned under the 2025 LSU transfers. As a senior forward for LSU, Amani Bartlett is the only player Mulkey has coached consistently since 2021. Mulkey was instrumental in shaping Bartlett’s basketball career, and that is what makes her departure even more difficult to accept.
The news comes weeks after the program celebrated Senior Day to commemorate the contributions of the oldest players on the roster, Bartlett being one of them. On being asked why she continued staying a Tiger, the six-feet-three player hinted at her HC and said, “She took care of me.“
In an interview with Jacques Doucet, Bartlett revealed, “Even in the hard times when I wasn’t playing or I honestly felt some type of way about not getting on the court, (she) helped me so much off the court, but also to grow as a woman. She’s been that mother away from home.“
Meanwhile, Mulkey had said in a conversation with Gorden McKernan, “You know, as a coach, when you coach as long as I have, you just hope the good they got from me and from the program they played for far outweighs the bad. And then they go on in their own lives and remember things that were said and done in that locker room. They use it in their own life. Don’t be me. Be you. But take some good from your coach that you remember.“
Bartlett could use the advice of her head coach as she enrolls in the transfer portal. The Texas native shared the news with her fans on Instagram. In a post full of gratitude for the team and the fans, Amani wrote, “Peace out. As they say, all good things must come to an end. The time is now. Four years ago I decided to become a Tiger. This decision leads me to the best basketball fans in the land. You all embraced me and loved me as one of your own.“
“With love and gratitude I want to say Thank You! To the LSU Women’s Basketball fans, Thank you. My time in the PMAC was special because of you all. Thank you all!” she added. Amani Bartlett had a four-year run at Louisiana University, where she averaged 0.6 points and 1.2 rebounds throughout the 2024-25 season and has an overall average of 0.9 points and 1.0 rebounds per game. It will be interesting to see where the 2020 SPC Most Valuable Player lands after the transfers. Does she have a chance of landing in the WNBA draft next year? Who knows?
Kim Mulkey Unable to Convert Collegiates to Pros?
Though Kim’s reputation and staunch demeanor have always been a subject of debate, her former students and fellow LSU players have repeatedly admired Mulkey for her disciplined approach to the sport. But trouble seems to follow the verbally expressive head coach.
After Kim’s recent NCAA appearance, a user recently took to X (formerly known as Twitter) and wrote, “I wonder why Mulkey’s inability to successfully transfer her athletes from college to the W hasn’t been a topic of discussion.” She boldly questioned the coach’s inability to convert her student-athletes into WNBA players.
Jan 19, 2025; Gainesville, Florida, USA; LSU Tigers head coach Kim Mulkey looks on against the Florida Gators during the first half at Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images
Though this tweet received a lot of mixed reactions from fans and widespread whispers in NCAA circles, an undeterred Kim remained steadfast as people came to her defense. One of them was her former player, Kalani Brown, now part of the Phoenix Mercury, who publicly defended Kim.
Responding to false claims against Mulkey, she wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “Let me say this… Kim Mulkey DID prepare me for the league. I was out of the league because of no one but ME. I had to reflect & make that choice to ‘want it.’ In all honesty, I needed thicker skin & some mental toughness to be in the W. Which is why I think God sat me down those two years. So stop playing on me & my coach’s name. Kimberly did what she had to do, I didn’t. & I can only speak for myself.”
Kim Mulkey is a professional when it comes to basketball and has shaped the careers of several young female athletes, like Angel Reese. Reese was a part of the 2024 WNBA All-Rookie Team before earning the 2024 WNBA All-Star title. The Tigers landed a two-time first-team All-State player this season, while the NCAA archives highlight that nearly 28 of Mulkey’s players went pro in the 2021 WNBA Draft..
As head coach for the LSU Tigers, Mulkey has single-handedly shaped the LSU Tigers’ strong locker system and built the strong cultural system that the program holds today. Unlike other coaches, Kim is extremely involved during the team games and is openly expressive about their performances.
Despite her strict and thorough training, she efficiently prepares players for the WNBA. It is evident in the gameplay and in how former players like Brown jump to her defence. Mulkey has a strong bond with her players, and WNBA or not, this bond is going to stay strong for a long time.
The post Fresh Intel Confirms Painful Exit From LSU as Kim Mulkey Loses One of Her Most Loyal Players appeared first on EssentiallySports.
