"We are forever indebted to Angel Reese": Kim Mulkey delivers a touching tribute to LSU star in Tigers' grand farewell party

Kim Mulkey’s tribute to Angel Reese at LSU’s farewell.

LSU Women’s Basketball posted a video of Kim Mulkey on Instagram of the grand farewell party for the Tigers on Thursday night. The head coach made an emotional speech, thanking her players and staff and reflecting on her third season in Baton Rouge.

“Our theme was Dig Deep Roots. You’re gonna have to dig just a little bit harder, a little bit deeper, because you down have a target on your back,” she said. “And boy did we dig.”

Mulkey praised guard Hailey Van Lith, who chose to play for LSU over Stanford and SEC rival South Carolina, for her hard work and dedication.

“Haley Van Lith is one of the hardest working players that I ever coached,” Mulkey said. “She wanted to be in the gym all the time.”

However, it was announced that Van Lith had entered the transfer portal and is now visiting Mississippi State.

Mulkey also spoke about star forward Angel Reese and thanked her for choosing to come to LSU when they didn’t have a championship to show her.

“Angel Reese, came to LSU when we did not have a championship to show her,” she said. “What we had was a staff of great coaches that would help develop her. And she came down to Baton Rouge. We are forever indebted to Angel Reese.”

Mulkey ended her speech by encouraging LSU to “shine on”. Earlier she took to Instagram after news broke about Reese’s decision.

“Keep growing the game,” she wrote.

Reese and Mulkey seem to have a strong relationship, especially after winning a national championship together last year. The former LSU star recently announced that she intends to enter the 2024 WNBA draft.

“Grateful for these last four years and excited for this next chapter,” Reese wrote on X.

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Kim Mulkey said LSU’s main goal was not to win a championship

In the 2023-24 season, the Tigers had a record of 31-6. Their run in the NCAA tournament ended in the Elite Eight with a 94-87 defeat to Iowa.

During her emotional speech to the crowd in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Mulkey said:

“Look around this building. Look around this building. Wow — that’s all I can tell you. This is why I came home. I came home to do good here, not bad,” Kim Mulkey said.

According to a report from NOLA, Kim Mulkey said that the team’s main goal was not to win a championship but to win 90% of their non-conference games, make it to the SEC tournament final, host NCAA tournament games and remain in the Associated Press poll from the beginning until the end of the season.