ESPN REPORT: LSU Tigers Women’s Basketball Head Coach Kim Mulkey Stuns College Basketball World, Rejects Coach Demand Of $20.5 Million NBA Offer from Tennessee Vol, Notre Dame to Remain with the LSU Tigers: ‘I Have No Plans Beyond Being the LSU Women’s Basketball Head Coach’

In a move that rocked not just college basketball, but the entire sports landscape, LSU women’s basketball head coach Kim Mulkey has officially rejected a monumental $20.5 million NBA coaching offer reportedly pushed by interests connected to Tennessee and Notre Dame. Mulkey, one of the most successful and recognizable figures in the sport, made it clear: her heart remains in Baton Rouge, and her commitment to LSU remains absolute.

“I have no plans beyond being the LSU women’s basketball head coach,” Mulkey said in a heartfelt statement released by LSU on Friday evening. “This is my home. This is where I belong. The work here isn’t finished.”

The news, first reported by ESPN, quickly went viral. Mulkey, who has led LSU to a national title and multiple deep NCAA Tournament runs since her arrival, was considered a prime candidate for a shocking move to the NBA — an idea that, until now, seemed almost unthinkable for a coach so deeply embedded in the culture of college basketball.

According to ESPN’s reporting, Mulkey was approached indirectly through intermediaries linked to both Tennessee and Notre Dame athletics circles — a complex maneuver designed to see if Mulkey would be willing to break ties with LSU for the next frontier: professional basketball.

The plan involved a newly-formed NBA ownership group offering her a record $20.5 million contract over five years to take over a struggling franchise. Sources confirmed the group was serious and ready to structure the front office entirely around her. The contract would have made Mulkey not only the highest-paid coach in women’s basketball history but also one of the highest-paid coaches — male or female — in the NBA’s current ranks.

Still, it wasn’t enough.

“Money can be tempting,” Mulkey admitted. “But what’s real to me are relationships, are dreams bigger than myself. I came to LSU to build something that would last beyond me. That’s what drives me every day.”

One of the most surprising aspects of the story involves the involvement of figures connected to Tennessee and Notre Dame — two of the biggest brand names in college athletics.

For Tennessee, the motivation seemed simple: Mulkey’s departure from LSU would destabilize one of the Vols’ fiercest SEC competitors. With Tennessee itself eyeing a women’s basketball resurgence after years of struggling to reclaim its once-dominant national status, Mulkey leaving the SEC would have opened up championship pathways.

At Notre Dame, the logic was similar but different. The Fighting Irish have long been dominant in women’s basketball but, according to sources close to the program, saw Mulkey’s continued dominance as a major roadblock to reclaiming consistent national titles. Removing her from the college game — even indirectly — would theoretically “open the board.”

Both schools were aware, insiders say, that they couldn’t entice Mulkey directly. But by helping broker a “can’t refuse” NBA offer, they believed there was a small window.

They underestimated her loyalty.

For Kim Mulkey, the decision wasn’t just about a paycheck or prestige. It was about unfinished business.

In her mind, LSU is still ascending. Despite winning a national title, the program continues to grow both culturally and competitively under her leadership. LSU recently announced massive upgrades to their facilities — including a $987.2 million investment in athletic infrastructure, a direct reflection of Mulkey’s impact.

Furthermore, recruiting has never been stronger. LSU boasts back-to-back No. 1 recruiting classes, and with Mulkey at the helm, it appears poised to dominate the SEC and national scene for years to come.

“We’re building a dynasty,” Mulkey told reporters after a practice last week. “Why would I leave something we’ve only just started?”

Players echoed the sentiment.

“Coach Mulkey is everything to this program,” LSU star guard Flau’jae Johnson said. “She’s the reason so many of us are here. Knowing she’s staying — it’s like winning another championship.”

Mulkey’s decision isn’t just a victory for LSU. It’s a victory for college basketball.

At a time when NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) deals, professional contracts, and NBA crossovers have threatened the traditional college landscape, her staying sends a powerful message: the college game still matters.

Across the sport, reactions poured in.

“This is a massive win for women’s college basketball,” ESPN analyst Rebecca Lobo said on air Friday night. “Kim Mulkey is one of the biggest names in the sport. Her presence keeps the spotlight on college basketball, keeps rivalries alive, keeps history alive.”

Even NBA players weighed in.

“I respect it,” New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson posted on social media. “Loyalty means everything.”

While Mulkey made it clear she’s committed to LSU, some can’t help but wonder: what if she had taken the NBA offer?

The plan, insiders say, was to model her situation after Becky Hammon’s success in the WNBA and Gregg Popovich’s coaching tree in the NBA. Mulkey would have been given full control — roster building, practice structure, player development — and would have shattered gender barriers at a historic level.

Some believe she would have succeeded spectacularly.

“Kim Mulkey coaching men would have been amazing,” said former NBA coach Stan Van Gundy. “Her intensity, her basketball IQ — it’s all there.”

Others, however, caution that it’s better she stayed in her natural domain.

“The NBA is a grind and a political machine,” said one unnamed former coach. “Mulkey is bigger than that. She belongs where her passion shines through.”

Now that Mulkey’s staying put, the future looks even more golden for LSU.

Recruiting is expected to reach new heights. Five-star players who were on the fence about LSU now know they can commit confidently. Mulkey’s presence also reassures current stars that they won’t be forced into sudden coaching changes.

Expectations for next season are already through the roof. Early preseason polls list LSU as a top-3 team nationally, with an experienced roster loaded with returning stars and a few top-tier freshmen ready to make an immediate impact.

LSU athletic director Scott Woodward called it “the best news we could have hoped for.”

“Kim Mulkey is LSU,” Woodward said. “There’s no ceiling with her leading our program. She’s not just chasing wins — she’s building a legacy.”

Beyond the X’s and O’s, Mulkey sees her mission as deeply personal. She wants to make LSU synonymous with greatness — the kind that lasts for generations.

“I think about the little girls in Baton Rouge who dream of playing for LSU one day,” Mulkey said. “I think about creating something where they see that dream and know it’s possible. That’s why I’m here.”

It’s a mission that resonates deeply across Louisiana.

“We love her because she’s one of us,” LSU superfan Corey Boudreaux said. “She’s got that Louisiana heart. She fights for us, she believes in us, and now she’s shown she ain’t going anywhere.”

In an era where money often talks louder than loyalty, Kim Mulkey made a different kind of statement — one that values commitment, tradition, and love over a quick payday.

The $20.5 million NBA offer would have changed her life financially — but it couldn’t change her heart.

And in staying with LSU, Kim Mulkey hasn’t just changed the course of one basketball program. She’s strengthened the entire foundation of college basketball at a time when it needed a hero the most.

As Mulkey herself said:

“Sometimes you don’t chase the world. Sometimes you stay right where you are — and build a world worth chasing.”

And LSU couldn’t be more grateful she did.