LSU's Kim Mulkey Dismisses Retirement Rumors After NCAA Tournament Loss

The veteran coach plans to continue leading the Tigers and rebuild the roster through the transfer portal.

Mar. 28, 2026 at 2:50pm

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Rumors circulated on social media that LSU women's basketball coach Kim Mulkey might retire after the team's NCAA Tournament loss, but Mulkey quickly shot down those reports during her postgame press conference. The 63-year-old coach said she has no plans to retire and is already looking ahead to the offseason, including hiring new assistants and adding players through the transfer portal.

Why it matters

Mulkey is one of the most successful and respected coaches in women's college basketball, having won national championships at both Baylor and LSU. Her continued leadership is crucial for the Tigers as they look to reload their roster after losing star player Flau'jae Johnson to the WNBA.

The details

During her press conference, Mulkey called the retirement rumors a 'flat-out lie' and said she is healthy and plans to keep coaching. She noted that the older generation sometimes has trouble differentiating legitimate news from parody online. Mulkey said she intends to quickly hire two new assistant coaches, add two or three players through the transfer portal, and take some time off to visit her grandchildren before getting back to work.

  • On March 28, 2026, LSU was eliminated from the NCAA Tournament.
  • The NCAA transfer portal opens on April 6, 2026 and runs for 15 days.

The players

Kim Mulkey

The head coach of the LSU women's basketball team, who has won national championships at both LSU and Baylor.

Flau'jae Johnson

A star player for LSU who is leaving the program to enter the WNBA draft.

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What they’re saying

“I'm not retiring, do I look that bad? I don't know where that came from. I am only 63 and I'm healthy with a few stents in my heart. My doctor says I'm good to go.”

— Kim Mulkey, LSU Head Coach

“I think that's used a lot in recruiting. I think as we get older as coaches, they want to say, well, how much longer is she going to be in the game? I'm going to be in this game unless LSU fires me until I can't put a product on that floor that's competitive or my health fails me.”

— Kim Mulkey, LSU Head Coach

What’s next

Mulkey plans to quickly hire two new assistant coaches and add two or three players through the NCAA transfer portal, which opens on April 6, 2026 and runs for 15 days.

The takeaway

Despite the rumors, Kim Mulkey remains committed to leading the LSU women's basketball program and reloading the roster through the transfer portal. Her continued presence is crucial for the Tigers as they look to build on their recent success and compete for championships.