Kim Mulkey Addresses Decision to Sit LSU Star Flau'jae Johnson in SEC Tournament

LSU Tigers coach Kim Mulkey didn't mince words when speaking about her choice to sit Flau'jae Johnson during the SEC Tournament.

LSU head coach Kim Mulkey walks the court ahead of the game against the Texas Longhorns at the Moody Center on Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025. | Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

LSU Tigers star guard Flau'jae Johnson didn't play in her No. 7 ranked team's final game of the 2024-25 regular season (which was an 85-77 loss to the Ole Miss Rebels) because of shin inflammation.

According to a March 2 article from ESPN's Kendra Andrews, Tigers head coach Kim Mulkey spoke on the team's radio station before Sunday's game and said that Johnson had been battling this shin issue since LSU's February 16 defeat to the No. 1 ranked Texas Longhorns.

And as a result of this injury, Mulkey has declared that Flau'jae will miss not only Sunday's game, but the entire SEC Tournament.

"I know she's trying to mask the pain she's in," Mulkey is quoted saying in the article. "It's not a stress fracture or anything like that. It's just rest. We'll get that inflammation down, and we'll see the Flau'jae that we need to see when we start playoffs."

She later added, "I don't think Flau'jae's best basketball has happened in the last couple of weeks, so let's rest her. Why put her through that, because it's just not worth it."

Mulkey then expanded on her decision to sit Flau'jae through the SEC Tournament when speaking with the media after Sunday's defeat.

"Let me address the Flau'jae stuff: I sat Flau'jae," Mulkey said while pointing to her chest, per an X post from The Advertiser's Cory Diaz. "The doctor didn't tell her she had to sit, the trainer didn't tell her she had to sit. This started before the Texas game and I encouraged her to sit then. When your shins are hurting you... you cannot mentally perform. I don't care how tough you are, how much pain tolerance you have, it affects you.

"And I just decided after Alabama, we're a three-seed [in the SEC Tournament] no matter if we win another ballgame. So why not do it now?" Mulkey continued. "That decision was made by me."

She later added, "The most important thing is to get her healthy before the NCAA Tournament begins."

Kim Mulkey explains her decision to sit Flau’jae Johnson through the SEC Tournament: #LSU pic.twitter.com/Cpwvu7AVVz

— Cory Diaz (@ByCoryDiaz) March 2, 2025

At least there won't be any speculation on who decided Flau'jae will be sitting.