5-Star Caroline Bradley Chooses LSU, Gives Mulkey Major Recruiting Victory

Kim Mulkey and her LSU women’s basketball staff received major news Monday evening as Class of 2027 five-star post Caroline Bradley of Oak Grove High School announced her commitment to the Tigers.

Bradley, who stands 6-foot-5, becomes the highest-rated post player to commit to LSU during the Mulkey era and one of the most significant in-state additions the program has landed in recent years.

The Louisiana native chose LSU over a loaded offer list that included South Carolina, UCLA, Kentucky, Duke and several other national powers, further reinforcing Mulkey’s ability to keep elite talent home.

She is rated as the nation’s No. 3 overall prospect by ESPN’s SportsCenter NEXT and is widely regarded as one of the most dominant interior players in the country in her class.

Bradley said her decision ultimately came down to development and relationships — both on and off the court.

“The two main priorities for me were play style and being developed over the course of four years,” Bradley said. “And then the relationship I had — I come from a very family-oriented place, very community-oriented — so I wanted to go somewhere that was similar to that where it wasn’t always about my worth on the basketball court, but my worth as a human.”

Bradley pointed to her long-standing relationship with Mulkey and her staff as a major factor, particularly when it comes to player development.

“I think I have developed a great relationship with Coach Mulkey over the years that she’s recruited me,” Bradley said. “And her staff, especially Coach Starkey, can develop people into the best post players in the country.”

She also emphasized Mulkey’s proven track record of developing elite post players at every stop in her career.

“You look at the track record of who she’s had — Brittney Griner, Angel Reese, Anissa Morrow, Kalani Brown — she’s developed some of the best bigs in the sport,” Bradley said. “So to be able to be developed by her and Coach Starkey for the next four years is going to be something special that I don’t take for granted.”

Bradley added that LSU’s overall support system and environment for women’s basketball also stood out.

“The support that goes into women’s basketball is unlike any in the country,” Bradley said. “When you have an opportunity to be a part of something bigger than yourself, such as a program like LSU, you can’t really put into words what it means.”

Bradley, a two-time Gatorade Player of the Year, has led Oak Grove to the LHSAA semifinals in each of the past two seasons, anchoring both ends of the floor with her size, length and physical presence in the paint.

She capped off her 2025-26 campaign with eye-popping averages of 27 points, 16.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 3.4 blocks and 1.4 steals per game, showcasing a well-rounded skill set that goes beyond traditional post play.

Beyond her individual impact, Bradley is already embracing a leadership role in LSU’s 2027 class.

“I think the ultimate goal of what I want to do is win as many national championships as I can,” Bradley said. “So to be able to recruit players that are like-minded and want to do the same thing is going to be very important to me.”

Bradley noted that committing early gives her the opportunity to help Mulkey build the class around her.

“Coach Mulkey has made it clear that I’m going to have the opportunity to help her recruit,” Bradley said. “That’s a big plus of committing early — being able to help bring in players who give us the best chance to be the best we possibly can.”

In an interesting twist, Bradley revealed her decision was actually made weeks before going public.

“I actually committed that day of the South Carolina game (Valentines Day),” Bradley said. “I surprised Coach Mulkey in her office. I was just ready to go public with it.”

She added that timing and community played a role in when she chose to announce.

“It was important for me to have my community be able to celebrate because they’ve stuck by me through it all,” Bradley said. “To be able to do this for the town of Oak Grove is really big.”

For LSU, landing Bradley is not only a major win on the court, but also a statement within the state of Louisiana — keeping one of its premier prospects home against heavy national competition.