South Carolina's Dawn Staley Discusses MiLaysia Fulwiley Joining Kim Mulkey, LSU WBB

The reigning SEC Sixth Player of the Year is Baton Rouge bound, set to suit up for Mulkey and Co. during the 2025-26 season.

Mar 31, 2024; Albany, NY, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley slaps hands with South Carolina Gamecocks guard MiLaysia Fulwiley (12) as she comes off the court during the first half against the Oregon State Beavers in the finals of the Albany Regional of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at MVP Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images / Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Kim Mulkey and the LSU Tigers have retooled the roster in Baton Rouge this offseason with multiple newcomers signing with the program out of the NCAA Transfer Portal.

Following the additions of Kate Koval [Notre Dame] and Amiya Joyner [East Carolina], the Tigers sent shockwaves across college basketball after adding South Carolina'a MiLaysia Fulwiley.

The former five-star prospect made the move to depart Columbia and take her talents to join Mulkey and Co. in the Bayou State after two seasons with the Gamecocks.

“I’m excited to welcome MiLaysia as the newest member of our LSU Tiger family!” Mulkey said once the move was official. “She’s bringing her incredible playmaking ability to Baton Rouge, standing out as one of the most electrifying talents in college basketball.

"Her ability to impact winning has been clear throughout her career, and we can’t wait to see her shine in purple and gold at the PMAC soon!”

A game changing 5-foot-10 guard, Fulwiley is one of the nation’s most creative offensive players.

She came off the bench in all but three of her 77 games with the Gamecocks, averaging 11.7 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.6 steals in her two seasons.

Now, the reigning SEC Sixth Player of the Year is Baton Rouge bound with the chance to make an instant impact.

But South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley has now spoken on the move for the first time this offseason after Fulwiley transferred to an SEC rival.

“Surprising? No. I think, being in this space, you come to expect the unexpected. Right?” Staley said. “I still have much love for MiLaysia. I just want her to be happy. She came in with her mom and said, “I think I’m going to get into the transfer portal.

"And I was like, 'Okay, well… you think or you know?' And she said, 'I know.' I said, 'Well, I only want you to be happy.' I really do. I only want our players to be happy, whether that’s with us or somewhere else. Just be happy.

"And I told her, 'Don’t look back.' I know it’s probably going to be hard not to, leaving your hometown and all that. But I said, 'Don’t look back. You’re always going to be a Gamecock. You’re always going to be welcome here.'

"I wish her the best. And when I say that, people probably think, 'Oh, sure,' but I do. I really do. Because I am who I am, what’s for us is for us, and what’s not is not. Let’s keep moving. I don’t stay in despair. I don’t stay in those spaces for very long.”

In @staley05's book 'Uncommon Favor', in the chapter titled “Respect the Power of Habit,” she speaks on this chapter which reflects on MiLaysia Fulwiley . pic.twitter.com/6XxdAONzSB

— The Breakfast Club (@breakfastclubam) May 22, 2025

Fulwiley blossomed into the SEC's Sixth Player of the Year after an impressive 2024-25 campaign with Staley commenting on how much growth the South Carolina native has made.

“I thought MiLaysia was getting better, I really did,” Staley said. “I saw a whole lot of growth on and off the court. Like, we were just getting the best version of her now. We went through the hard part — smoothing some rough edges, getting her to create good habits.

“I really think habits are the thing that allow you to elevate. So I think what we’ve given her — and what she’s given us — will allow her to have better, more consistent days than she had with us at her next stop.”

Now, Fulwiley is Baton Rouge bound with the LSU Tigers preparing to utilize one of the most creative players in college basketball players for the 2025-26 season.

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