I remember watching the LSU women's basketball team cut down the nets last season, and it struck me how their journey mirrored something I'd witnessed halfway across the world. While LSU was building their championship program, the University of the Philippines women's basketball team was doing something equally remarkable—they were exorcising curses. Both programs, in their own ways, demonstrate how sports can transform not just teams but entire communities. When Kim Mulkey took over LSU in 2021, she inherited a program with potential but lacking that championship DNA. What she brought wasn't just a new playbook; it was a cultural overhaul. I've always believed that building a winning program starts with establishing an identity, and Mulkey understood this better than anyone. She didn't just recruit talent—she recruited believers.
The transformation began with what I like to call "the infrastructure revolution." LSU invested approximately $4.2 million in facility upgrades between 2021-2023, creating spaces that would attract top-tier talent. But it wasn't just about shiny new equipment. The real magic happened in the day-to-day operations. I spoke with several staff members who described how Mulkey implemented what she called "championship habits"—from how players entered the practice facility to how they studied film. Every detail mattered. This reminded me of how the University of the Philippines program approached their own transformation. They weren't just building a basketball team; they were breaking decades of losing traditions, what some called "curses" that had haunted the program. Both programs understood that to win championships, you first have to win the mental battle.
Recruitment became LSU's secret weapon, and frankly, it's where Mulkey's genius truly shines. She landed Angel Reese, the transfer who would become the face of the program, along with assembling what I consider one of the most perfectly constructed rosters in recent women's basketball history. The numbers speak for themselves: LSU's scoring average jumped from 68.3 points per game in Mulkey's first season to 82.1 in their championship year. But what impressed me more than the statistics was how she managed egos and talents. Having covered college sports for fifteen years, I've seen many coaches try to assemble "super teams" that ultimately collapse under the weight of expectations. Mulkey somehow got her players to buy into specific roles while still allowing their individual talents to shine. It's a delicate balancing act that few coaches master.
The cultural shift within LSU's program reminds me so much of what happened at the University of the Philippines. While LSU was building a championship culture, UP was dismantling what locals called "the curse of never winning." Both programs faced skepticism. Both had to overcome history. And both succeeded by creating what I'd describe as "positive obsession"—an environment where every player, coach, and staff member becomes completely invested in the program's success. At LSU, this manifested in those intense fourth-quarter performances where they seemed to find another gear. At UP, it showed in how they rallied from what seemed like impossible deficits. The parallel journeys fascinate me because they prove that building a winning program requires both tangible improvements and intangible belief systems.
What many people don't realize is how much community support factored into LSU's rise. Baton Rouge embraced this team in ways I haven't seen since maybe UConn's heyday. Attendance figures tell part of the story—average home game attendance surged from 3,821 in Mulkey's first season to over 8,000 during their championship run. But numbers can't capture the energy in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center during crucial games. That atmosphere, that collective belief from the fans, became LSU's sixth player on the court. It's similar to how the UP community rallied around their women's team, turning games into cultural events that transcended sports. Both programs understood that championships aren't won just by the players on the court but by the communities that stand behind them.
The championship game itself was a masterpiece of program building. Every decision Mulkey had made over two years culminated in that perfect performance. What stood out to me wasn't just the victory but how they won—with poise, with confidence, with the swagger of a team that knew they were destined for this moment. Having followed their journey from day one, I can confidently say this wasn't accidental success. This was the result of meticulous planning, cultural engineering, and what I'd call "purposeful recruitment." The parallels with UP's story continue to amaze me—both programs prove that when you combine strategic vision with emotional investment, you can achieve what others call impossible. LSU didn't just win a championship; they built a legacy that will influence women's basketball for years to come. And like UP's curse-breaking season, they proved that sometimes the most impressive victories aren't just about trophies but about transforming what people believe is possible.
