LSU women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey officially entered the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Saturday night.

Mulkey, who has won three national championships and recently left Baylor for LSU, became the 10th active Division I head coach enshrined into the Hall of Fame.

During her speech, Mulkey said, “I look out from this podium and I am overcome with amazement and humility. Amazed that a kid from Tickfaw, Louisiana could find herself in the company of giants. All of us being honored tonight understand we are only here because of one of life’s greatest honors. We get the credit when it should be shared with so many others.”

She also credited her players, and her mother.

“No coach stands here without great players,” she said. “They believed in me, embraced me and allowed me to push them beyond where they thought they could go. … It’s my mom who told me “It’s ok to dress up and look feminine and be tough as hell on the basketball court.” Mom, thank you for that.”

The other members of the Class of 2020 are longtime FIBA executive Patrick Baumann, 18-time NBA All-Star and five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant, 10-time WNBA All-Star and four-time Olympic gold medalist Tamika Catchings, 15-time NBA All-Star and three-time NBA Finals MVP Tim Duncan, 15-time NBA All-Star and nine-time NBA All-Defensive First Team selection Kevin Garnett, five-time Division II National Coach of the Year Barbara Stevens, four-time collegiate National Coach of the Year Eddie Sutton and two-time NBA Champion coach Rudy Tomjanovich.

#20HoopClass enshrinee, Kim Mulkey. pic.twitter.com/6iHFqTMkB3

— NBA (@NBA) May 15, 2021

Dear Kim Mulkey

From, @BaylorWBB (1/2) #20HoopClass pic.twitter.com/d4yIIlkAKq

— Basketball HOF (@Hoophall) May 15, 2021

H/T Basketball Hall of Fame.

Keith Farner

A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.