Seimone Augustus shares details of phone call with Kim Mulkey regarding spot on staff

A living legend recently joined LSU‘s women’s basketball coaching staff with Seimone Augustus being hired by head coach Kim Mulkey last week. Re-joining forces alma mater after becoming one of the most decorated college and professional women’s basketball players of the generation.

In her introductory press conference, Augustus pulled back the curtain on her conversations with Mulkey leading up to her hire. Filling in the role of assistant coach Johnny Derrick who’d worked alongside Mulkey for over two decades.

“When I got the call I was kind of shocked. I knew Johnny was retiring but obviously didn’t expect to get a phone call from Coach Mulkey,” Augustus admitted. “And she did and she said, ‘Baby, Johnny’s retiring and I would love for you to have the position if he want it.’ And so I was like alright, Coach, I thought about it, told her that I had some other opportunities that I wanted to kind of explore and she said go ahead and have away with it.”

Augustus retired from her professional career in 2021, stepping away from the game after winning four WNBA titles and earning eight WNBA All-Star selections. Just a few of her many accomplishments that date all the way back to her playing days with the Tigers. But quickly she decided to take on a new role and phase in her career.

“We had another call after that, that was more in depth and went into detail about the role, responsibilities, and expectations, and things like that,” Augustus said. “And the third phone call was on a Friday, I called her and she said, ‘What ya got for me, baby?’ And I said, ‘I think I’m coming home coach.'”

“And she said, ‘You gonna make me do work on a Friday, I’m gonna get up and go and walk down administration and get the ball rolling.’ And she was like, ‘This is gonna be a great opportunity for you just to grow as a coach and everything.’ I said yes, ma’am and she said stop calling me ma’am.”

The four-time WNBA champion now joins forces with the four-time national champion after Mulkey led LSU to a title just two seasons ago in her second year at the helm for the Tigers. A potentially dangerous duo for opponents and a move that will surely help Augustus jump-start her new coaching career.

“Even though it was long, it happened very quickly. It was over a course of maybe two or three weeks that we discussed, talked, and went through the process based on other opportunities I had. She even said it herself, she was like, ‘Baby, you gonna get more experienced here and you’re gonna get anywhere else.’ And it has been right away,” Augustus said. “I’ve only been here a few days and I’m right into it just like everyone else. I’m getting my elbows into it, getting getting right to the work. So I’m excited.”