It was the second straight year that Kim Mulkey’s Tigers packed their bags in the Elite Eight and headed back home. It hurt, it must surely have. But what came next was a whole different saga. Sa’Myah Smith, Jersey Wolfenbarger, and Aalyah Del Rosario jumped into the portal. Aneesah Morrow turned pro. Still…LSU’s not out, not even close. Flau’Jae Johnson is back. Mulkey’s picked up not one but two key forwards. And the Tigers just happen to have the No. 1 recruiting class rolling in. 

The four incoming stars—Grace Knox, Zakiyah Johnson, Divine Bourrage, and Bella Hines—are set to hit campus this summer and start grinding through SEC pace. And you don’t have to wait till November to see what this class is made of. Just scroll through your socials. One of LSU’s prized recruits, Bella Hines, gave fans an early taste of the fire she’s bringing.

She went 1v1 with popular YouTube streamer Duke Dennis and cooked him at the Jordan Brand Classic event. We’re talking shot after shot after shot, and that too in Crocs. Even @SlatDontMiss called her “1v1’s a future WNBA player.” Can we argue? Her future teammate Johnson saw it and couldn’t hold back either, dropping a four-word reaction: “And she popping it 😂😂.” Then added, “can’t wait till she get on campus 🐯.” Don’t we feel the same? 

Hines isn’t just showing out for the camera, she’s been about this life. The five-star guard lit it up at Eldorado High. But she left Eldorado in May after three years. Instead, she chose to take her talents to Albuquerque’s ABC Prep—the flagship girls’ team that competes in the Grind Session—just so she could match up with the best of the best across the country. And if that isn’t enough, Hines also set a ridiculous high school scoring record with 3,018 career points. Oh, and did we mention? She signed a deal with Jordan Brand.

But what really sets Hines apart—besides her endless buckets—is how she plays the game. Physicality? She loves it. Grit? She thrives on it. She’s exactly the type of player who looks made for the SEC grind. Want proof? Remember that viral clip that’s been making the rounds? It was the third quarter of the game with her defender pressing hard—maybe too hard—and what does Hines do? She shrugs it off (literally), gets a little intentional push in, and still finishes the play like a pro.

And even Shaquille O’Neal’s daughter (Hines’ friend) couldn’t help but react as she penned,  “yo this is diabolical b…” It kinda was. LSU fans already can’t wait to see her bring that fire to Baton Rouge. But it’s not just Bella carrying the spotlight here. LSU’s entire recruiting class is straight-up stacked. Recently, two of her future teammates got major nods—Grace Knox landed a spot on the Naismith High School Girls All-America Third Team, while Zakiyah Johnson earned an honorable mention. They’re walking into LSU with hype, confidence, and real resumes.

Meanwhile, coach Mulkey isn’t done stacking up. 

Flau’Jae Johnson and Mulkey go all-in on Serah Williams

The plan is to go all in on adding even more size and firepower to the frontcourt. And the name on LSU’s radar right now is none other than All-Big Ten beast Serah Williams. She just wrapped up a multi-day visit to Baton Rouge, and from the looks of it, the Tigers rolled out the purple carpet.

Williams is 6-foot-4, averaged 19 points and nearly 10 boards per game last season, and was crowned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. She hit the portal after Wisconsin’s coaching change, and let’s just say schools came calling fast. 

But LSU didn’t stick to just calling. They’re wining, dining, and straight-up recruiting with flair. The team even took her out for dinner—restaurant sparklers, a “welcome to Baton Rouge” sign, the whole vibe. Later, Big 4 even dropped a tweet during the visit, “Serah a vibe frfr 💜.” Like, they’re not being subtle here. They want her.

But it won’t be a cakewalk. UConn is fresh off a national title, and North Carolina is also in the race. LSU’s got the star power and the Southern charm, but this is a heavyweight battle. Still, with Johnson and Mikaylah returning and the No. 1 recruiting class rolling in, adding a two-way force like Williams would be the difference maker.

It’s a team that’s gone from uncertainty (due to not having forwards) post-Elite Eight exit to being right back in the mix for a deep run next season. So, LSU fans, stay tuned! The Tigers are reloading and not quietly. Let’s see if they can repeat what 2023 looked like!