Kim Mulkey praises LSU players for 'sharing the wealth' through NIL

As NIL became a crucial part of the college sports landscape, LSU was at the center of it. The Tigers have some of the most notable names in the space – particularly on the women’s basketball team.

Angel Reese and Flau’jae Johnson both rank in the top 20 of the On3 NIL 100, the first of its kind and defacto NIL ranking of the top 100 high school and college athletes ranked by their On3 NIL Valuation. Reese checks in at No. 8 with an On3 NIL Valuation of $1.7 million while Johnson’s NIL Valuation ranks No. 7 at $1.1 million.

Kim Mulkey doesn’t try to keep up with their lists of NIL deals – although she has a unique way of finding out when her players, particularly Reese, get one.

“First of all, I don’t know what deals [Reese] has until she gives me a gift,” Mulkey said at halftime of Thursday’s SEC Tournament game between Arkansas and Auburn. “So she’ll give me Beats one year or something, and I’m like, what’s wrong with this picture? These young people are giving it to the coaches.”

LSU is also well-represented in the On3 College Women’s Basketball NIL Ranking. Reese and Johnson are right next to each other at Nos. 2 and 3, while Hailey Van Lith ranks No. 6 with an NIL Valuation of $1.1 million. But what stands out to Mulkey isn’t the amount of followers they have or how much they’re making.

She’s most proud of their desire to give back.

“They do share their wealth,” Mulkey said. “Angel does a lot for her community back in Baltimore, she’s done a lot for Baton Rouge. And Flau’jae, I have to mention Flau’jae. She’s the same way. Those young ladies are very, very unselfish when it comes to helping people.”

More on Angel Reese and Flau’jae Johnson’s NIL portfolios

LSU women’s basketball is a subject of the upcoming documentary The Money Game from Prime Video, which will focus on the Tigers’ NIL success as an athletics department. In addition to the women’s basketball team, gymnast Livvy Dunne is also a major player in the NIL space.

On the women’s hoops side, though, Reese and Johnson are the big names. Earlier this season, Reese gave out Beats headphones to Mulkey and her teammates as part of her partnership with Beats by Dre. Repped by Jeanine Ogbonnaya, she also has partnerships with Tampax, Reebok, Airbnb and Amazon as part of her lengthy portfolio.

As for Johnson, a Roc Nation-signed rapper, she debuted a new track during Super Bowl LVIII through her partnership with Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys. She also inked a deal with Powerade in January and landed another with JBL in November 2023.

LSU will tip off the 2024 SEC Tournament on Friday against Auburn, which defeated Arkansas in its opening game Thursday night.