South Carolina’s Dawn Staley and LSU’s Kim Mulkey were front and center at the Nike EYBL circuit, watching two of the nation’s brightest high school stars — Autumn Fleary and Haylen Ayers — light up the court in a high-stakes matchup.
Fleary powered Team Takeover to a win over Ayers’ Tennessee Flight, with both elite guards dropping 21 points each in front of the two iconic SEC coaches. Their showdown wasn’t just a battle of future stars — it was a recruiting showcase with some of the biggest names in women’s college basketball courtside.
Fleary, a five-star recruit in the 2026 class, has become one of the most coveted prospects in the country. Ranked No. 10 overall and the No. 2 point guard in her class, she’s expected to announce her college decision this summer. Her final four — revealed on social media on July 4 — includes LSU, UCLA, North Carolina, and Duke.
She took an official visit to LSU in March and spent several days in Baton Rouge with the Tigers’ staff. Mulkey and LSU hope that visit left a lasting impression, though reports suggest UCLA may be making a compelling NIL push.
As for Ayers, the 6-foot Class of 2027 guard is already building a legendary resume. Ranked No. 3 nationally by espnW and 247Sports, Ayers averaged 22 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists last season at University School of Jackson. She was named Tennessee’s 2024-25 Gatorade Player of the Year, earned Division II-A Miss Basketball honors as a freshman, and was a Naismith Honorable Mention All-American. With 1,620 career points through her sophomore year, she’s drawing attention from top programs like Florida, LSU, South Carolina, UConn, Texas, and Tennessee — with over 30 offers on the table.
Meanwhile, Mulkey is facing a significant roster reboot at LSU after the departure of every frontcourt player from last season. Aneesah Morrow left for the WNBA, while Sa’Myah Smith, Jersey Wolfenbarger, Aalyah Del Rosario, and Amani Bartlett all hit the transfer portal.
Speaking to The Advocate, Mulkey addressed the volatility of today’s transfer landscape: “That’s not gonna stop. Even if you win national championships. That’s just the way it is now, and you can’t even guesstimate because you don’t know.”
To counter the departures, LSU has brought in eight new players — five freshmen and three transfers — marking the largest roster overhaul since Mulkey’s first full offseason in Baton Rouge.
