LSU Country

Kim Mulkey, LSU WBB Hold No. 1 Recruiting Class in America

Kim Mulkey and Co. hold four 5-star commitments in the 2025 cycle, dominating recruiting trail this fall.

Zack Nagy

LSU coach Kim Mulkey watches as the defending national champion Tigers hold on for a win against Rice.
LSU coach Kim Mulkey watches as the defending national champion Tigers hold on for a win against Rice. / Scott Clause/USA Today / USA TODAY NETWORK
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Kim Mulkey and the LSU women's basketball staff have hit the recruiting trail with force over the last few months on their way to assembling the No. 1 Recruiting Class in America this fall.

After reeling in a commitment from five-star forward Grace Knox on Wednesday, Mulkey and Co. now hold pledges from a quartet of five-star prospects in the 2025 cycle.

It's a haul that will change the trajectory of the program once again with verbal commitments from four of the Top 25 prospects in the senior class.

For LSU, it's a program that is fresh off of a National Championship in 2023 with Mulkey at the helm, but it's clear she's building the Tigers up for the long haul.

It's been an impressive recruiting effort from the coaching staff during the calendar year.

Once the offseason rolled around, the staff hit the recruiting trail with force in order to develop relationships in the 2025 class.

After months of checking in with prospects on the road for in-home visits, traveling across the country during the summer and capping it off with official visits in both September and October, Mulkey's staff has secured the No. 1 class in America.

A look into the program-changing haul that will put pen to paper in December with the LSU Tigers.

The 2025 Recruiting Class:

ZaKiyah Johnson: No. 4 Prospect in America

Johnson, the No. 4 rated prospect in America, selected the LSU Tigers over Kentucky and Louisville after the in-state schools ramped up their push down the stretch.

Johnson is fresh off of a junior campaign in 2023 where she averaged 18.9 points and 7.2 rebounds during the team’s 31-7 campaign on her way to leading the Sacred Heart program to its third straight state title.

“I think one of the best things about Z is she’s always stayed true to herself,” Johnson's high school coach said. “And she knows that little eyes are watching her, and what a role model she needs to be. And she’s always aware of that. ... I think she’s ready. I think she’s comfortable with her decision, so I’m happy for her. I think it’ll be a load off her mind, and then she can just focus in on high school basketball and finish her high school career.”

Johnson has earned three Gatorade Player of the Year honors, a gold medal over the summer with Team USA's U18 FIBA Women's AmeriCup squad and more.

Divine Bourrage: No. 7 Prospect in America

The Top 10 player in the 2025 class gave Mulkey and Co. their second commitment in the current recruiting class after going public with a decision in September. She joined Top 25 prospect Bella Hines as the pair of commitments in the cycle.

Bourrage, a 5-foot-10 guard out of Iowa, made her way to LSU in early September on an official visit alongside a pair of Top 15 players in America.

She was joined by Zakiyah Johnson, the No. 4 overall prospect in the 2025 cycle, and Grace Knox, the No. 13 rated recruit.

The five-star trio was wined and dined by the LSU staff with photoshoots, taking in LSU football's home opener and more during the multi-day stay.

Now, the program's recruiting efforts continue paying off after securing a commitment from the top-ranked prospect in town.

For Bourrage, she's a fluid guard who can get to the rim at will with a jumper that's improving rapidly. 

Grace Knox: No. 13 Prospect in America

The five-star forward out of California joins the No. 1 Recruiting Class in the country headlined by ZaKiyah Johnson, Divine Bourrage and Bella Hines.

For Knox, she became the fourth five-star to reveal a pledge to the program with Mulkey and Co. scorching hot on the recruiting trail.

Knox chose LSU over Texas, Tennessee and USC after taking official visits to all four of the programs over the last two months.

LSU has kept its foot on the gas here for Knox's services. The staff has flown out to California to visit with her in-person multiple times while bringing her to Baton Rouge for a multi-day stay as well.

The communication never wavered with the Tigers ultimately sealing the deal for the electric 6-foot-2 forward from the West Coast.

“It’s been good. It’s been energetic [with LSU],” Knox told On3’s Talia Goodman in August. “You can tell their coaching staff is kind of what everyone thinks, in a good way. They have energy with them. They bring what you see in their players. It makes sense. It’s been a good recruitment with them. They’ve been just as consistent as everybody else. I mainly talk to Coach Gary Redus and Kim Mulkey. I’m excited to feel the energy that they give off because from what I’ve seen, it’s the biggest thing.”

Knox is fresh off of a junior campaign at Etiwanda High where she averaged 17.2 points per game to go along with 11.9 rebounds for her squad.

“I want to be as versatile as possible,” Knox told On3 Sports. “Being a more automatic score on offense and being more than just a rebounder. I want to expand my game as much as possible, whether it’s from the 3-point line or mid-range.

“I’d say I’m athletic. I always have energy on the court and give it my all. I’d call myself a rebounder and versatile, outgoing on the court and I’d say I have a lot of passion.” 

Bella Hines: No. 24 Prospect in America

Hines became the first commitment in the 2025 cycle for the LSU Tigers after going public with a decision in April fresh off of a visit to Baton Rouge.

An elite-level bucket-getter, the LSU staff covets Hines' services after putting a full-court press on the New Mexico native in the spring.

A commitment that set the tone in the current class, the coaching staff began assembling a class that complements her game.

We've seen Hines already burst on the scene during her senior campaign after dropping back-to-back 50-point games last week.

Now, it's full steam ahead to putting pen to paper with LSU in December before making her way to campus and carrying her scoring ability to Baton Rouge.

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Zack Nagy
ZACK NAGY

Zack Nagy is the Managing Editor and Publisher of LSU Country, a Sports Illustrated Publication. Nagy has covered Tiger Football, Basketball, Baseball and Recruiting, looking to keep readers updated on anything and everything involving LSU athletics. 

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