Kim Mulkey strikes again.
One week after LSU women’s basketball landed the top player out of the transfer portal in Louisville guard Hailey Van Lith, the second-ranked transfer – DePaul sophomore forward Aneesah Morrow – committed to Mulkey and the Tigers on Friday.
The arrival of both Morrow and Van Lith for one team is unprecedented in the new portal era. Mulkey and her staff getting the top two transfers vastly improves a program that’s coming off an improbable national championship run in the coach’s second season in Baton Rouge.
The 6-foot-1 Morrow fits right into the roster spot that was previously held by forward LaDazhia Williams, who moved on to the WNBA. While the Chicago native needs the ball in her hands, as she is a shot creator, she’s been working on her perimeter game, which would add a new dimension to LSU’s offense.
With the Blue Demons last season, Morrow was one of the top forwards in women’s basketball – and will now play alongside another in LSU star junior Angel Reese. Morrow averaged 25.7 points per game along with 12.2 rebounds while attempting a career-high 209 3-pointers, making 53 for 25% from behind the arc.
Morrow had an official visit scheduled this weekend at South Carolina, which was considered the prohibitive favorite to land Morrow after losing Aliyah Boston and Victaria Saxton to the WNBA, but she ultimately decided not to go following spending last weekend at LSU. She visited USC the weekend prior.
The highly-coveted forward completes a trio of All-American-caliber players for LSU with Reese and Van Lith, which makes the reigning champs even scarier and a sure-fire lock as next season’s preseason No. 1 team.
Cory Diaz covers the LSU Tigers and Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his Tigers and Cajuns coverage on Twitter: @ByCoryDiaz.