Kim Mulkey, LSU Checking In On No. 1 Prospect in America Sarah Strong

LSU is set to check in with the No. 1 prospect in the 2024 cycle this weekend with a trip to visit Sarah Strong just 24 hours away, sources tell LSU Country.

Strong, the top prospect in the nation, will play in the North Carolina State Championship Game on Saturday with the Tigers sending members of its staff to check in with their top target. 

The 6-foot-2 forward is averaging 20.3 points, 16.7 rebounds and 4.8 assists a game as she dominates her senior campaign.

Strong has led her Grace Christian squad to a 29-0 record after punching their ticket to the State Championship this week. 

“Strong may be the most unique player we have seen in years. She has a powerful game, but a feathery touch. She battles inside for boards, but can create space to pull a 3 off the dribble,” ESPN’s Shane Lafflin wrote of Strong. 

“Strong can play inside and out, but also facilitates the offense for her teams. She is soft spoken but has a competitive fire while carving out space to own the boards like she owns real estate in the paint. As talented of a scorer as she is, the most impressive thing Strong does is pass.”

Schools in the mix for Strong's services include LSU, UCONN, NC State, South Carolina and Louisville, among others.

After speaking with sources familiar with Strong's recruitment, this one appears to be an LSU vs. UCONN battle down the stretch, but South Carolina is doing their due diligence.

South Carolina commit Joyce Edwards is making her pitch to Strong and is set to carry that into the weekend of April 2 when the two team up at the McDonald's All-American Game. 

Strong isn't the only No. 1 prospect the Tigers are turning up the heat for. 

Mulkey and Co. are also dialed in on the top prospect in the 2025 cycle: Aaliyah Chavez.

LSU head coach Kim Mulkey and assistant coach Gary Redus made the trip to Lubbock, Texas last Wednesday to check in on Chavez during Round 1 of the playoffs.

Chavez, the top prospect in the 2025 cycle, has blossomed during her junior campaign with her Monterey squad taking home the victory on Wednesday.

When it comes to LSU, the Tigers are putting their foot on the gas in her recruitment after another in-person visit while watching her game this week.

Chavez released her Top 10 schools recently with LSU making the cut alongside Arizona, Ohio State, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Texas Tech, UCLA, and USC.

“I just want to thank all the coaches for their time invested into recruiting me on this journey,” Chavez wrote. “After much consideration me and my family have come down to a list of my top 10 schools.”

Chavez will likely take a visit to Baton Rouge this spring to check in with Mulkey and Co. while soaking in the scenes of the reigning National Champions.

Chavez averaged 38.4 points, 10.3 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 3.4 steals per game as a junior on her way to an impressive season with Monterey. 

For her career, the No. 1 2025 prospect is averaging 31 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 5.5 assists

Now, LSU looks to wine and dine Chavez as they prepare to get her down South for a visit sooner rather than later.

After signing the No. 1 class in the 2023 cycle, Mulkey's program is looking to build sustained greatness in Baton Rouge with the top prep players in America on their radar.

Chavez, the top hooper on the prep scene, is the coveted target they're pursuing in next year's cycle alongside several Top 10 prospects.