Breaking News: LSU Star Player MiLaysia Fulwiley Has Officially De-Committed From LSU Due To… Wait, That’s Not What Happened
A correction to viral rumors: Fulwiley transferred to LSU from South Carolina, not away from the Tigers.
BATON ROUGE, La. — In the fast-paced world of college basketball recruiting and the transfer portal, misinformation can spread like wildfire. Recent chatter suggesting that LSU Tigers star guard MiLaysia Fulwiley has de-committed from the program is incorrect. In reality, Fulwiley is a key piece of the Tigers’ roster for the 2026 season, having transferred to LSU from the South Carolina Gamecocks in a blockbuster move that shocked the college basketball world .
The Real Story: A Homegrown Star’s Departure from South Carolina
The confusion appears to stem from the high-profile nature of Fulwiley’s transfer, which was one of the most significant moves of the 2025 offseason. After two seasons as a fan favorite and a key contributor for the South Carolina Gamecocks, the Columbia, South Carolina, native made the difficult decision to leave her hometown program .
Fulwiley, a 5-foot-10 guard who was the SEC Sixth Player of the Year, averaged 11.7 points per game over her two seasons with the Gamecocks . She helped lead South Carolina to a perfect 38-0 national championship in 2024 and a runner-up finish in 2025 . However, despite the success, she felt a change was necessary.
Why Fulwiley Left South Carolina
When asked about her departure, Fulwiley repeatedly cited a desire for a “fresh start” and a “change of scenery” . She emphasized that the decision came from a place of personal growth and professional ambition.
“South Carolina is a great program, I’m from there, I’ve been there my whole life,” Fulwiley said in a September 2025 interview. “I kind of just felt like I needed a new environment, a new fresh start. Everyone deserves a new fresh start.”
She also noted that she needed to eliminate distractions to focus strictly on her basketball goals and her future in the WNBA . “When I left there I just cut out all the distractions, and now it’s just strictly basketball, strictly focused on my goals and where I want to be in life,” she told The Advocate .
A New Role at LSU
A significant factor in her decision to join Kim Mulkey and the Tigers was the opportunity to learn and play the point guard position, a move designed to enhance her professional prospects . At South Carolina, she often played off the bench behind a veteran-laden roster, starting only three of her 77 career games .
At LSU, she has been embraced as a starter and a leader. “We’re gonna challenge her to learn the point guard position,” Mulkey said before the season started . The move has paid off; in her first season with the Tigers, Fulwiley leads the team in scoring at 14.6 points per game and has seen a significant uptick in assists .
Fulwiley’s Own Words on Choosing LSU
Fulwiley addressed the decision head-on in October 2025, confidently answering the question of “why LSU?” with a simple retort: “Why not?” .
“I mean, a lot of people ask me why LSU, and I’m like, why not? They’re a great program. Kim, she’s a great coach, and everyone around her, Simone, Gee, Kaitlyn, all of the assistant coaches, they just help me so much,” Fulwiley told reporters .
She added that she was drawn to a support system that truly believed in her potential. “And when I was talking to them, I realized that’s what I need. I need a group of people that believe in me and just want to see me do better, because I just want it better for myself,” she said .
Coach Mulkey and Staley React
Kim Mulkey was ecstatic to land the talent that had so often tormented her LSU teams. “Every time we played South Carolina, she in particular kicked our rear end,” Mulkey said with a laugh. “She just was special every time she played LSU.” Mulkey famously secured Fulwiley’s commitment after just one phone call with the player and her mother, with no official campus visit .
Meanwhile, her former coach, Dawn Staley, expressed nothing but support for her former player’s choice. “Surprising? No,” Staley said on The Breakfast Club radio show. “I think being in this space, you come to expect the unexpected. I still have much love for MiLaysia, much love. I want her happy.”
On-Court Impact and Revenge Game
Fulwiley’s decision to transfer to a rival made her return to the court against South Carolina a highly anticipated matchup. In her first game against her former team, she struggled, scoring just 6 points on 1-of-8 shooting . However, she got her “lick back” in the SEC Tournament, dropping 24 points on the Gamecocks to remind everyone of the talent that made her a star .
Conclusion: Fulwiley is All-In on LSU
Despite any misleading headlines, MiLaysia Fulwiley is fully committed to the LSU Tigers. She has been a key component of the team’s success this season and is poised to be a centerpiece of the program as they chase a national championship . Her decision was not a de-commitment from LSU, but rather a high-profile move to the Tigers in pursuit of a fresh start and a chance to develop her game for the next level .
