While LSU women’s basketball remains solidly in the hunt for the 2025 NCAA Women’s Basketball National Championship, efforts off the court haven’t exactly taken a backseat for Kim Mulkey and the future of her program. Early Monday, class of 2025 signees ZaKiyah Johnson and Grace Knox were officially named to the 2025 McDonald’s All-American roster.
LSU women’s basketball signees ZaKiyah Johnson and Grace Knox earn McDonald’s All-American game invitation
Just last week, LSU women’s basketball head coach Kim Mulkey was left speechless with the sheer amount of talent present on this year’s South Carolina squad.
“I don’t know that I’ve ever coached against a team that’s got 10 McDonald’s All-Americans on a roster,” The Tiger head coach said following LSU’s 66-56 loss against Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks. “How do you even get 10 on a roster? And that’s what we faced today, and what a challenge it was.”
Well, while she won’t quite hit the grand total of 10, the purple and gold are set to at least get closer to that number in 2025, as two of the four signees in the LSU recruiting class of 2025 have officially been invited to play in the annual McDonald’s All-American game this year.
ZaKiyah Johnson first committed to the Tiger women’s basketball program on November 3, 2024, and there was little doubt in anyone’s mind that it was bound to be a big signing.
Rated as the No. 9 player nationally, according to the 247Sports Composite, as well as No. 1 out of the state of Kentucky, the Louisville, KY product stands at 6-foot, and should be a very early contributor for the purple and gold. While she’s solid a scorer from all sections of the floor, it’s her rebounding that should prove particularly important, especially with the fast-approaching graduation of senior Aneesah Morrow.
Just three days following the commitment of Johnson came some more excellent news, as Grace Knox would announce her pledge on November 6, 2024, adding a fourth five-star to the already No. 1 recruiting class in the country.
Again, in what has become a trend for this purple and gold class of 2025, Knox is yet another future member of Kim Mulkey’s squad who could leave an immediate impact as a freshman in 2025. Possessing elite size – standing at 6-foot-2 – to go along with some of the best athleticism in the entire country, the Rancho Cucamonga, CA, standout ranks as the No. 11 player nationally, as well as No. 1 in California.
Outside of the two newest McDonald’s All-American selections, the Tiger class of 2025 also holds commitments from shooting guards Divine Bourrage (No. 7 nationally) and Bella Hines (No. 25 nationally), rounding out what might be one of the best recruiting cycles in LSU women’s basketball history.
The women’s McDonald’s All-American game will officially take place on April 1, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. CT, at the Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY. The men’s game will take place a few hours later, at 8:00 p.m. CT.
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