Kim Mulkey was one of the first iconic players in the history of women’s college basketball. Sporting pigtails that dripped down to her waist, she was a feisty point guard who led Louisiana Tech to a pair of national championships in the early 1980’s and helped put the women’s sport on the map.
She’s won three national championships as a head coach at Baylor and now has LSU in the Final Four. It’s not her resume that has folks talking on social media, though.
It’s her gameday outfits during the regional tournament this year.
Friday night’s 66-63 win over Utah in the regional semifinal turned out to be a footnote to her wardrobe. Mulkey that night wore a multi-colored jacket that had pink feathers flowing from the backside of each sleeve.
Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
Social media erupted with its typical ridicule. Then on Sunday as the 3-seeded Lady Tigers faced the 9-seed Miami Hurricanes in the regional final, Mulkey wore a jacket that sparkled like the shiniest Mardi Gras float during a Fat Tuesday parade in New Orleans.
Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
Twitter users utilized game time Sunday night to comment on Mulkey’s sparkling jacket, and not the prowess of her coaching ability.
“Kim Mulkey looks like a mean disco ball,” mfr24 wrote.
The Daily Comet, which covers news in nearby Thibodeaux, said “LSU coach Kim Mulkey is known for her flashy outfits. Her jacket is all sparkles tonight for the Elite 8 vs Miami.”
“Not gonna lie. I’m a bit disappointed Kim Mulkey’s jacket is so … restrained,” wrote Nancy Armour, a sports columnist for USA Today sports.
After Mulkey wore the pink-feathered jacket during the regional semifinal, she was asked about it in the post-game press conference.
“I do not go pick these things out,” said Mulkey, who added that her stylist provided a new uniform after each win. And each kept up with the festival spirit of Louisiana.
“Look, we’re from Louisiana, we like sparkles, we like diamonds, we like Mardi Gras, we like to eat and we like to party.”
And LSU will keep on partying and dancing into the creme de la creme of college basketball.
LSU (32-2) defeated Miami, 54-42, on Sunday night in Greenville, South Carolina, to advance to their first Final Four since 2008, which was the fifth of five-consecutive Final Fours for them. LSU advances to play the winner of Monday’s game between Virginia Tech and Ohio State. The women’s Final Four begins Friday night in Dallas, Texas.
This is Mulkey’s 22nd season of coaching, and just her second at LSU. She coached at Baylor for 20 years and led the Lady Bears to three national championships. LSU has never won a national championship in basketball.
