Former five-star recruit Kateri Poole recently revealed details behind her unexpected departure from LSU’s women’s basketball team during the 2023-24 season, pointing fingers at head coach Kim Mulkey. Poole, who had transferred to LSU in May 2022 after two seasons at Ohio State, was a key player during the Tigers’ national championship run. However, her second year with the team was much different.
In the early 2023-24 season, Poole averaged just 12.8 minutes per game over four games before she suddenly disappeared from the lineup. Mulkey initially attributed Poole’s absence to a “coach’s decision” and later confirmed that Poole was no longer with the program, offering no further explanation. Poole was suspended for reasons that were not disclosed, and in March, she entered the transfer portal as a graduate transfer with at least one year of eligibility left. By May, she had committed to Houston for the 2024-25 season.
For a while, the reasons behind Poole’s departure from LSU remained unclear, but Poole broke her silence during an Instagram livestream, offering her side of the story. According to Poole, Mulkey accused her of leaking a scouting report to another school, a claim Poole vehemently denies. “I ain’t do that s—,” Poole stated during the livestream. When Mulkey informed her that she was being kicked off the team, Poole accepted the decision and asked if she could still continue her career elsewhere, which led to her transferring to Houston. Poole also expressed frustration with being repeatedly asked about the situation, saying, “Please stop asking me about that s—.”
The incident that led to Poole’s removal reportedly occurred after LSU’s wins over Queens and Mississippi Valley State, following a season-opening loss to Colorado. During a game against Kent State, Poole was benched, which raised further questions.
While it remains unclear whether Poole truly provided a scouting report to another team, the gravity of the accusation was significant enough for Mulkey to remove her from the roster. The specifics of the situation remain a mystery, and it’s possible that the truth lies somewhere between Poole’s and Mulkey’s accounts. For now, Poole has moved on and is set to play for the Houston Cougars in the 2024-25 season.