Kim Mulkey, LSU Women's Basketball Lose Coveted Guard to NCAA Transfer Portal

LSU Tigers guard Kailyn Gilbert will enter the NCAA Transfer Portal and depart Baton Rouge after spending two seasons with Kim Mulkey's program, according to On3 Sports.

Gilbert stepped away from the program in November for personal reasons and never rejoined the team after appearing in only five games across 2025-26 season.

After suiting up in a handful of games, Gilbert has the opportunity to apply for a fifth season of eligibility.

The 5-foot-8 guard started her career with the Arizona Wildcats prior to make the move to transfer to LSU prior to the 2024-25 season.

“KG – I’m gonna try not to get emotional – has been dealing with family issues for a long time,” Mulkey said of Gilbert's reasoning for stepping away in November.

“A 22-year-old should not have to be dealing with what she’s been dealing with. She needs to help somebody in her family. She’s so mature. We just ask everybody to pray for her because she always does the right thing.”

BREAKING: LSU’s Kailyn Gilbert has entered the transfer portal, sources told @On3.

The 5-8 senior averaged 9.1 ppg in 2024-25 and appeared in five games this season.

TRACKER: https://t.co/wYv1Ze6EPC pic.twitter.com/6Xwa1sP8Ee
— Talia Goodman (@TaliaGoodmanWBB) April 6, 2026

Gilbert joins LSU guard Divine Bourrage as the pair of Transfer Portal departures to this point after the former five-star guard made the decision to enter with a "do-not-contact" tag.

The 5-foot-11 Iowa native signed with the LSU Tigers as a blue-chip prospect in the 2025 Recruiting Cycle where she averaged 2.1 points per game as a true freshman across the 2025-26 season on Kim Mulkey's squad.

"I'm not retiring. I plan to hire two coaches quickly. I plan to get in the portal and get two or three more players and take a little time off, go see my grandchildren, who actually flew in and got in late and didn't even see the game. But I'll get to visit with them tonight in the hotel," Mulkey said after the program's Sweet 16 loss to Duke.

Now, as the offseason continues, the program sits with two portal entries to this point with Gilbert and Bourrage set to test the free agent market after making their moves official this week.

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