Title: “Kim Mulkey’s McDonald’s All-American Quip Speaks to South Carolina’s Dynasty — and LSU’s Urgency to Catch Up”

When South Carolina beat LSU in January in a showdown that had the energy of a Final Four matchup, Tigers head coach Kim Mulkey stood at the podium afterward with her signature blend of wit and candor. With a smirk, she delivered a line that, while humorous, held layers of truth.

“I wish Dawn would let me have just a couple of those McDonald’s All-Americans coming off her bench,” Mulkey quipped, eliciting laughter from the media. “I’d take ‘em. Just one or two. Share the wealth, Dawn.”

What may have been tossed off as a joke doubled as an acknowledgment — and perhaps even a veiled cry of frustration — about the unprecedented depth and dominance South Carolina has amassed under head coach Dawn Staley.

The Gamecocks’ win over LSU wasn’t just another tick in the win column. It was a statement. A reminder that, despite LSU’s 2023 national championship, South Carolina remains the gold standard in women’s college basketball. And as the two SEC heavyweights increasingly find themselves at the center of the sport’s national narrative, Mulkey’s comment underscores an emerging question: Can anyone — even a coach as decorated as Mulkey — keep up with the monster Staley has built in Columbia?

The mid-January matchup between South Carolina and LSU was a collision of titans. On one side, you had the defending national champions, a team loaded with experience, star power, and swagger. On the other, a South Carolina squad that had lost nearly all of its starters to the WNBA but hadn’t missed a beat.

The Gamecocks outpaced and outclassed LSU that day, winning 76-70 in a game that wasn’t as close as the final score suggested. Freshman sensation MiLaysia Fulwiley came off the bench and dazzled with her speed and shot-making, while fellow freshman Tessa Johnson provided additional firepower. Even players buried deep in Staley’s rotation — some of them top-10 national recruits — were ready when their names were called.

“They’ve got All-Americans coming off the bench,” Mulkey said. “That’s a luxury. And they’re talented, too. That’s a testament to Dawn and the culture she’s created there.”

It wasn’t just the loss that stung Mulkey — it was how effortlessly South Carolina reloaded. After losing Aliyah Boston, Zia Cooke, Brea Beal, and Victaria Saxton, many assumed the Gamecocks would take a step back in 2024. Instead, they went undefeated until the Final Four, continued to dominate the SEC, and reasserted themselves as the most consistent powerhouse in the sport.

What Staley has done at South Carolina borders on dynastic. Since 2015, the Gamecocks have captured multiple SEC titles, two national championships (2017, 2022), and consistently produced WNBA talent. But perhaps her most impressive accomplishment is how she has turned South Carolina into the destination for elite high school talent.

In the last five years, Staley has landed more McDonald’s All-Americans than any other program in the country. Her 2023 class — headlined by Fulwiley, Johnson, Ashlyn Watkins, and Chloe Kitts — was the top-ranked recruiting haul nationally. Each one of those players could start for most Power Five teams. At South Carolina, they often come off the bench.

It’s an embarrassment of riches, but not an accident. Staley has created an environment where top players trust that their development — even in limited minutes — will prepare them for the next level.

“There’s a blueprint here,” Staley has said repeatedly. “If you want to be pushed, if you want to win, and if you want to be great — we’ve got the resources, and we’ve got the culture.”

The Gamecocks are no longer just a team. They’re a machine. A system so well-oiled that even roster turnover becomes a feature, not a bug.

Kim Mulkey, for her part, has been busy building her own powerhouse at LSU. Since taking over in Baton Rouge in 2021, Mulkey has brought a national title, a top-five recruiting class, and a level of attention the program hasn’t seen since the days of Seimone Augustus.

But with success comes expectation — and pressure. After winning the 2023 title behind stars Angel Reese, Alexis Morris, and Flau’jae Johnson, LSU added even more firepower in Louisville transfer Hailey Van Lith and DePaul scoring machine Aneesah Morrow.

Still, despite the influx of talent, LSU struggled with chemistry throughout the 2024 season. The team looked disjointed at times. Mulkey juggled egos, rotations, and media scrutiny, especially with the drama surrounding Reese’s temporary absence from the team. Against top-tier competition like South Carolina, those issues became magnified.

“You can have all the talent in the world,” Mulkey said. “But chemistry wins championships. We’re still learning to play together.”

The difference between LSU and South Carolina isn’t about coaching ability. Mulkey and Staley are both elite — national champions with Hall of Fame resumes. The disparity lies in recruiting consistency and roster balance.

Staley has built a sustainable model: recruit top-tier high school talent, develop them over several years, and create internal competition. That’s why South Carolina can lose four starters and still beat top-five teams with freshmen and sophomores.

LSU, meanwhile, has leaned heavily on the transfer portal. It’s worked — to an extent — but it’s also created instability. Reese and Johnson were homegrown stars, but Van Lith and Morrow were added to an already crowded core, and the team at times looked like five All-Americans playing five different games.

Mulkey is a fierce recruiter, but even she can’t deny what Staley has built. The challenge now is to create her own pipeline — to stack recruiting classes the way Staley has. That means winning more battles for players like Sarah Strong (No. 1 overall in 2024) or Jaloni Cambridge (No. 3 in 2024), both of whom leaned toward other programs despite LSU’s stature.

Mulkey’s quote, then, isn’t just about wanting South Carolina’s players — it’s about what those players represent: continuity, development, and culture.

What’s unfolding between LSU and South Carolina is a microcosm of the broader arms race in the SEC — a conference that is quickly becoming the center of gravity in women’s college basketball.

With Tennessee, Ole Miss, and Georgia also investing heavily in women’s sports, the bar for success has never been higher. But LSU and South Carolina are clearly the vanguard, pushing each other to new heights.

Their battles have become appointment viewing. Every game feels like a playoff. Every possession is a chess match. And while Staley has had the upper hand in recent meetings, Mulkey’s teams are never far behind — often one piece or one adjustment away from flipping the script.

What makes their rivalry even more compelling is the respect between the two coaches. Mulkey and Staley, though stylistically different, are cut from the same cloth: intense, unapologetic, and utterly committed to excellence.

“Dawn’s got a great thing going,” Mulkey said after the January game. “She’s earned it. That’s what we’re chasing.”

Beyond X’s and O’s, both programs are navigating the new realities of college sports: NIL money, social media branding, and the ever-shifting transfer portal.

LSU has leaned into NIL like few others. Flau’jae Johnson has a record deal. Angel Reese became a household name. Van Lith had one of the largest social followings in the sport. But managing those brands inside a team structure isn’t easy.

South Carolina, by contrast, has largely avoided high-profile NIL drama. Their players still benefit from deals, but Staley’s messaging has always emphasized team over individual. It’s a philosophical divide — one that may explain why South Carolina’s rotations seem more seamless and less ego-driven.

The future of team-building may lie somewhere in the middle — finding ways to blend star power with system play. Both Mulkey and Staley are trying to strike that balance. But so far, Staley has managed it more smoothly.

As both coaches reload for another year, the rivalry shows no signs of slowing down. LSU returns key pieces and has another strong recruiting class on the way. South Carolina, meanwhile, will likely begin the 2025 season as national title favorites — again.

The two teams are expected to meet at least once during the 2025 regular season, with a potential rematch looming in the SEC Tournament or even the Final Four.

Each time they square off, the stakes grow higher. And each time, the game becomes a referendum — not just on the players on the court, but on the philosophies driving each program.

“I respect what Kim’s doing,” Staley said when asked about the McDonald’s All-American comment. “But we’re not sharing,” she added with a grin.

It was a light-hearted response, but one rooted in the same competitive fire that fuels both women. In the SEC, there are no handouts — only hard-earned victories.

And while Kim Mulkey might still be waiting for Dawn Staley to loan her a McDonald’s All-American or two, one thing is certain: the chase for the throne is far from over.