Louisiana State University women’s basketball head coach Kim Mulkey has strongly criticized the Washington Post, labeling an upcoming article as a “hit piece” and threatening legal action if it’s published. Mulkey expressed her frustration during a news conference ahead of her team’s NCAA Division I tournament game, stating, “This is exactly why people don’t trust journalists and the media anymore.”
Mulkey emphasized her determination to defend herself, her team, and the university against what she perceives as unfair reporting. She announced her intention to sue the Washington Post if they publish false information about her, citing her retention of a top defamation law firm.
The Washington Post declined to comment on Mulkey’s statements. Mulkey asserted that the reporter in question had been attempting to interview her for the past two years and recently sent a list of more than a dozen questions to LSU, which she viewed as disruptive given the team’s preparations for their first-round game.
A spokesperson for the Washington Post chose not to respond to Mulkey’s statements.
Mulkey asserted that a reporter from the newspaper had been trying to interview her for the past two years. She claimed that the reporter contacted the school on Tuesday, sending over a dozen questions to be answered by Thursday, which she found disruptive as the team was gearing up for its first-round game.
“This deadline imposed by the reporter was completely unreasonable, and both LSU and I knew it was impossible to meet,” Mulkey stated. “It seemed like a deliberate attempt to prevent me from providing comments and to divert our attention from the tournament.
“Regrettably, this behavior fits a pattern that has persisted for years. I informed this reporter two years ago that I didn’t appreciate the negative article he wrote about Brian Kelly [LSU football head coach], and that’s why I declined to grant him an interview.”
Mulkey, who is currently in her third year at LSU, led the Tigers to their first NCAA women’s basketball national championship last season with a victory over the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Before joining LSU, the Hall of Fame coach spent 21 seasons at Baylor University, where she secured three national titles.
“Former players have informed me that the Washington Post reached out to them, offering anonymity in exchange for negative comments about me. The Washington Post has contacted disgruntled former players to solicit negative remarks for their story. They’re disregarding the numerous positive accounts spanning over 40 years that people have shared about me.”
The No. 3 seeded Tigers are set to face the No. 11 seed Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders in the second round of the tournament in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on Sunday.