BATON ROUGE, Louisiana – LSU women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey is embroiled in a dispute with the Washington Post. After criticizing the newspaper over an upcoming article, Mulkey referred to reporter Kent Babb as “sleazy.” Despite the controversy surrounding her comments, the third-seeded LSU team managed to secure a victory against Middle Tennessee State in the NCAA Tournament to advance to the Sweet 16. Mulkey revealed that her players were unaware of the situation until they read about it online. She made it clear that she does not discuss negative press with her team.
The conflict between Mulkey and the Washington Post began when rumors circulated about a potential investigative article on the coach. While the story had not been published at the time, Mulkey confirmed its existence and threatened to take legal action if the article contained false information. According to Mulkey, the reporter had been attempting to gather negative information about her for two years, contacting former coaches and players associated with her. She accused the reporter of using deceitful tactics to manipulate individuals into giving damaging statements. The Washington Post declined to comment on the matter.
Mulkey explained that her decision to refuse an interview with the reporter stemmed from her dissatisfaction with a piece he had written about LSU football coach Brian Kelly. She expressed her frustration with what she perceived as unethical conduct, stating that it further erodes trust in journalism. Despite the distractions, Mulkey remains focused on leading her team as they defend their national title.
LSU received a set of questions from the Washington Post earlier in the week, with a deadline that Mulkey considered unreasonable. She believed that the newspaper’s timing was an attempt to divert her attention away from the post-season. Undeterred, Mulkey is determined to guide her team to victory and make history by becoming the first team since 2016 to win consecutive national championships.
Safeguarding her team, her university, and herself, Mulkey has taken a firm stance against what she perceives as a direct attack from the Washington Post. While the specific contents of the article remain unknown, Mulkey’s steadfast refusal to let negative press affect her team’s performance demonstrates her resilience and commitment.
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