A real unpleasant surprise
Right around quitting time Monday afternoon, Kim Mulkey and staff got a real unpleasant surprise when it was reported by On3’s Talia Goodman that redshirt sophomore forward Sa’Myah Smith is entering her name into the transfer portal.
As always a player can take their name out of the portal. The portal opened March 25 and will close April 23.
This is a real shocker for LSU. Smith has been with the program for three years and was a key contributor off the bench during LSU’s run to the national championship in the 2022-23 season. She earned SEC All-Freshman honors and played in all 36 games that year.
Smith was primed for a breakout season last year but tore her ACL seven games into the season. Up until then, Smith was averaging 11.7 points and 7.6 rebounds.
This season, Smith played in 36 of LSU’s 37 games and started a career-best 28 times. She appeared to have taken a major step forward during LSU’s run to the Elite 8. She averaged 13.8 points and 10.3 boards in the Tournament, highlighted by a couple of 20 and 10 performances against Florida State and NC State.
If Smith does indeed leave the program, LSU’s going to be in a bind in the frontcourt heading into the offseason. The Tigers are already losing Aneesah Morrow, and losing Smith is only going to amplify LSU’s need to add some post players out of the portal. Smith would have been a core piece for this 2025-26 LSU team alongside Flau’Jae Johnson (who is reportedly contemplating entering the WNBA Draft) and Mikaylah Williams.
Now, however, it appears Mulkey and her staff is going to have to hit the portal hard to replace both Morrow and Smith if they want to make another deep run in next year’s tournament.