No one is a stranger to Kim Mulkey’s antics on the sideline. And the new season is giving early glimpses of the same. LSU Tigers’ trio, Flau’jae Johnson, Mikaylah Williams, and Aneesah Morrow, led the seventh-seeded team’s roster with standout performances in their debut this Monday. The Tigers cruised to a 95-44 victory over the Colonels. Interestingly, head coach Kim Mulkey stole the spotlight during the post-game conference.

It was due to a technical foul she received during the game. “It would’ve been okay if they ejected me; it would’ve been worth it,” Mulkey shared afterward when the reporter mistakenly said that she received her first ejection, and she clearly agreed. It is a step that coaches often take for their stalwart assets and no wonder the Hall of Famer did too.

The incident in focus occurred in the fourth quarter when LSU star Flau’jae Johnson was called for a charge—her fourth personal foul of the game. Naturally, Mulkey and the LSU bench were far from happy.

From the officials’ perspective, it was a charging foul by Johnson on Kaitlyn Costner. However, to the LSU Tigers, it seemed that the EKU guard moved towards her as Johnson made contact while driving toward the basket. In response to her fiery reaction, the LSU head coach received a technical foul, her second in the last two seasons.

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Quite a start to the season, right? Fouls aside, Johnson was LSU’s leading scorer with an impressive 23 points. On the other hand, the ‘Chi-Town Barbie’ graduated from LSU last year and stepped into the WNBA, where she was a major contributor to her team, averaging 13.6 points and 13.1 rebounds per game. The way Mulkey and the LSU bench backed Johnson made it clear they were supporting the guard in stepping up to fill the void left by Angel Reese.

Johnson looks set to carry on Angel Reese’s legacy

Since Reese departed from LSU, the guard has set four main goals for herself this season: “To be consistent, to be a good defender, to expand my game, and to lead my team. I think my role is different now, and I have to be a consistent leader,” Johnson shared in a recent podcast, expressing the high expectations she’s set.

No doubt, Johnson is living up to her words. The 21-year-old’s leadership was on full display in this game. While she attracted attention for her four fouls, she was the player LSU’s entire roster leaned on. She hit 10 of 13 from the field, including 2 of 5 from three-point range.

But perhaps most impressive were her free throws, where she sank all three of her attempts. “She’s in the greatest shape she’s ever been in… it’s becoming very easy for her,” remarked Mulkey. Johnson was just as reliable with her mid-range jumpers as from the perimeter, and her defensive skills were equally on point.

In addition to being an offensive powerhouse, she was a defensive asset, adding four rebounds to her stat line. She exemplified what a leader should be, though she’ll need to refine her play to avoid fouls in future games.