Recovering From a Heart Condition and Eye Problem, LSU’s Kim Mulkey Makes Candid Admission Ahead of Angel Reese’s Last NCAA Season

While the LSU Lady Tigers have been improving their skills, the defending national champion’s coach spent her off-season a little bit differently. In her 23-year coaching career, Kim Mulkey has had an illustrious career associated with basketball. She is the first in NCAA women’s basketball history to win a national championship as a player, assistant coach, and head coach.

Mulkey has won 4 national championships, and that gives a reflection of her versatile personality. Moreover, in 1983, she won the Pan-American gold medal, and the next year in 1984, she won the Olympic gold medal. But beyond her decorated career, a personal matter has forced her to take some time off from the action.

Kim Mulkey made an unreserved admission

The upcoming 2023-24 season is Angel Reese’s last NCAA season. But before that, Kim Mulkey’s health issues have been getting in line. She recently talked with WBRZ-TV about her heart surgery in the off-season. She also talked about Haley Van Lith as the newest addition to the team, and how the Lady Tigers are breaking the mold at LSU.

Elaborating on the health issues she faced in the off-season, Kim Mulkey said, “I was just thinking the other day what a wonderful off-season to celebrate a championship and relax and do all the extra things that um we’ve been able to do and then I thought this may be an offseason like none other as far as my health is concerned and I said I sure am tired of all these little things and not that the heart is a little thing but um first it was the blood in the retina fixed that then we did the stints in the heart um I now have a broken toe that I’m trying to navigate for the next four to six weeks.”

The 61-year-old coach commented on her physical health by saying, “Getting older is not for sissies but um you deal with whatever comes your way and uh just keep on keeping on.”

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Since her surgery, Kim has been spreading awareness about cardiovascular health.

Coach’s message to promote cardiovascular screening

In late June, Kim Mulkey underwent a potentially life-saving heart procedure. The issue was discovered by chance. Evidently, she felt a persistent tingle in the tip of one of her fingers, which in turn prompted her to visit the doctor.

That visit soon transformed into a serious diagnosis which showed that one of Mulkey’s arteries was 95-99% blocked. As reported by ESPN, Kim said, “I never even felt bad. I’m still kind of in shock that we accidentally found this. So my message in sharing this is, if you’re over 50, go get a stress test.”

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Interestingly, Kim has inked a $32 million deal of 10 years duration, which is the richest contract in women’s college basketball history to date.