She’s 60 and Owns 171 Pairs of Shoes: Why Everyone Loves Basketball Coach Kim Mulkey’s Style

You may have already seen Kim somewhere on social networks: the star trainer’s fan community likes to make videos with her. In one shot, he bounces back on his heels and orders the players on the field to rally with a violent wave of his hand. In another, he crouches and nervously goes through the circles in his hands in anticipation of a dunk. A few seconds – and what an explosion of emotions!

From Kim’s look and facial expressions to her bright pink ankle boots, everything is described as fire. Actually, this is how her acquaintances and fans talk about coach Malka: woman-flame. And the point, by the way, is not only in her charming outfits – Kim is “lighter” both in her personal life and in sports.

She became the first woman in NCAA history to win a league title as a player, assistant coach and head coach. And then there was the 1984 Olympics where Team USA won all 6 games in a row and took home the gold. It would seem that after such a “life success” you can no longer hunt for cups, but Malki attacked again – only she changed her clothes first.

Kim is now the head coach of Louisiana State University’s women’s basketball team. And I have to say, an extremely productive coach: for 21 seasons, her previous charges, the Lady Bears, were considered one of the strongest teams in the country. And now Kim is the leader of the “Tigers” and can be considered a “Tigress” herself in every sense. And sports fashion icon.

True, it is rare to see a trainer galloping across the field in rhinestones, fringes and feathers. But Malka doesn’t even have other options – she says that you have to come to the game fully armed, i.e. wearing a Rolex watch donated by fans and wearing stilettos.

Fans counted how many heels their favorite has collected in her wardrobe – 171 pairs. The collection, I must say, is impressive: there is vintage, Christian Louboutin and modern local brands … But with clothes, such a trick will not work – you will not count. Because the trainer has been collecting her feathers and sequins for decades.

Here is the pleasant “side” of the sports career: Kim has not changed much since returning from the Olympics. That means all of her iconic jackets and jeans still fit like a glove and Coach isn’t saying goodbye to them. You will be surprised, but at the same time, she rarely looks for new clothes – new clothes find her by themselves.

“I have a lot of friends. People know I like to dress up and they’ll see something in stores and buy it and bring it home. I either like it or I don’t like it. If you like it, I’ll write a check,” Kim explains. One of these famous outfits for Kim is her friend Jamie Glass and owner of the Queen of Sparkles boutique, the name speaks for itself.

In general, Malki wears only what she is comfortable in – and for that the fan club of her basketball team simply adores the main “Tigers”. Stilettos and bold palettes are not an attempt to attract attention, but a real “comfort zone” for Kim. The heels, she says, help her feel collected, tall and slim, and the rhinestones and prints make her the queen of the basketball court. Official!