When five-star point guard GG Banks chose South Carolina over Texas and LSU, one reaction stood out: a post from former LSU star Alexis Morris, who won a national title under Kim Mulkey. Her message praised Banks’s choice and drew a contrast between Dawn Staley’s program and Mulkey’s.
What Morris Posted
In a post on Oct. 11, 2026, Morris began with a joke, saying “GG should’ve gone to Rutgers! 😂”, then turned serious. She said she is “extremely excited” that Banks chose Staley over Mulkey, and drew this contrast:
“Kim might show you the gold, the money, and the NIL opportunities, but Dawn is about player development, preparing young women for the next level, and building lasting relationships.”
She added that Staley has genuine WNBA connections and a proven record of helping players establish themselves professionally, and framed the choice this way:
“There’s a difference between being recruited for what you can do for a program and being developed for what you can become beyond it!”
She closed with: “Go play for dawn!”
Analysis: The Rutgers joke likely refers to Morris’s own path. She played her freshman year for Mulkey at Baylor, then bounced around Rutgers and Texas A&M before reuniting with Mulkey at LSU and Banks held a Rutgers offer.
Where the Edge Comes From
Morris has a long public record of criticizing her former coach:
After the 2024 SEC Tournament fight with South Carolina, she criticized LSU’s lack of leadership, saying the team wasn’t ready.
After an Elite Eight loss to Iowa, she was heard blasting Mulkey’s defensive approach on Hailey Van Lith’s assignment against Caitlin Clark.
Morris’s history with Mulkey is complicated:
Baylor: Mulkey dismissed her before the 2018-19 season over an unspecified rules violation.
Reunion: After stints at Rutgers and Texas A&M, Morris reached out to Mulkey when she took the LSU job, and the two won the 2023 national title together.
Praise at the time: She called Mulkey “my coach” before the title game, and in 2023 posted, “You can’t pay me to bash Kim!”
Later criticism: One outlet reported that Morris posted a TikTok accusing Mulkey of “grooming” her, which drew backlash from some fans. I couldn’t find the original post or Morris’s full explanation, so treat the details with caution.
But it hasn’t been all negative. In 2023, she said “I never doubt Coach Mulkey” and “I just love Coach Mulkey.” So her view of Mulkey has evidently changed since her playing days, though I found no report explaining why.
The Fan Reaction
Fan accounts amplified the post, with commentary like “Guards should go play for Dawn not Kim.” One claimed Staley has never had a former player publicly criticize her, which is an opinion I could not verify, so I’d treat it as fan rhetoric rather than fact.
The Mom Comment
An account with the handle ms_maynard26, claiming to be Banks’s mother, wrote that Banks isn’t switching schools and “will be there for 4 years,” telling disappointed fans to “say congrats and keep it moving.” I could not verify that the account belongs to her family, so that attribution should be treated cautiously.
Controversy
The pushback appears confined to social media, including the LSU-versus-South Carolina rivalry, and the commitment itself has been reported straightforwardly.
Key Takeaways
Morris’s argument: Staley offers development and long-term support, while LSU leads with NIL and prestige.
Her credibility cuts both ways: She played for Mulkey and won a title, but has criticized her in the past.
Unverified claims: The “no former player has criticized Staley” line and the family comment need confirmation.
No scandal found: The debate is fan-driven, not news-driven.
Conclusion
Morris’s post reflects an old rivalry rather than new controversy. Banks chose Staley, and a former LSU star publicly cheered it. Whether her critique of Mulkey is fair is a matter of opinion, but the reaction shows how much a top recruit’s decision can echo across both fan bases.
