KIM MULKEY: KATERI POOLE ‘NO LONGER ON’ LSU BASKETBALL TEAM
Kateri Poole is no longer with the LSU basketball team, head coach Kim Mulkey said Sunday.
Poole, a 5-foot-8 junior guard, won the 2023 national championship with LSU, but she played in four games this season for the No. 7 Tigers. Her last game came on Nov. 17 against Southeastern Louisiana, in which she played just five minutes. Before that, on Nov. 14, she did not play against Kent State due to a “coach’s decision.”
She last appeared on LSU’s bench against Texas Southern on Nov. 20, although she did not play.
“She’s no longer with us,” Mulkey told reporters Sunday following the team’s 83-53 win over Louisiana. Mulkey had been asked about a timetable for Poole’s return.
“Depth, anytime you lose any player for any reason, your depth becomes smaller. But I still think we have plenty,” Mulkey continued when asked about the team losing players. The team lost Sa’Myah Smith due to a season-ending knee injury in late November, while Hailey Van Lith is out while dealing with plantar fasciitis.
Mulkey did not give any further information on Poole’s departure, and would not comment on if it resulted from a dismissal or a mutual parting of ways.
Poole’s absence comes after LSU star forward Angel Reese missed four games in November for undisclosed reasons. Mulkey attributed Reese’s absence to “locker room issues” and would not give any further details.
On Sunday, Reese showed support for Poole via Instagram, writing: “Forever my dawg! I love you & 10 behind you!”
#LSU Angel Reese shows support for Kateri Poole after Mulkey said that Poole is no longer with the team pic.twitter.com/4P0vyEI2H9
— Jeannie (@jeanniebrichett) December 11, 2023
Poole also posted on Instagram, writing “(T)hank you tiger nation” with a photo of the national championship trophy on her Instagram Stories.
The junior was a member of LSU’s national title-winning team in 2023 after spending the first two years of her career at Ohio State. She appeared in 35 games last season, averaging 4.5 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.5 steals per game.
