Aneesah Morrow’s college career ended in tears but she learned plenty of lessons along the way.

The 6-foot-1 forward is expected to be a high pick in Monday’s WNBA Draft after starring for LSU.

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Morrow lavished praise on coach Kim Mulkey[/caption]

Morrow won a National Championship and alongside Angel Reese and Flau’jae Johnson in 2024.

But the Tigers were dethroned a year later after Lauren Betts and UCLA proved too strong in the Elite Eight.

After the game, in which she managed 15 points and seven rebounds, Morrow paid tribute to LSU coach Kim Mulkey, who describes her as a ‘walking double-double.’

“Coach Mulkey challenged me to be a better person, be a better player, and she challenged me to be able to make it in the real world,” she said while fighting back tears.

“She keeps it real with you, she shows you how it is, and I’m honestly grateful for that.”

Morrow is one of just two women in NCAA history with more than 100 double-doubles, racking up 600 points and 450 rebounds in her final season.

Despite her relative lack of size, she is elite under the rim thanks to a physical playing style and determined mentality.

Former teammate Reese is not expecting Morrow to make it to the No.10 pick the Chicago Sky currently holds.

“Me & Nees gon be killing each other for rebounds in the W,” she posted on Instagram.

Morrow missed a large chunk of the third quarter with a bloody nose against the Bruins but returned to see out the 72-65 defeat.

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Morrow makes up for a lack of height with tenacity[/caption]

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“My nose was bleeding, but I’m tough and I’m going to go out there and compete with my teammates. I’m going to try to do everything I can,” she said.

“You wish you had Aneesah every time you walked on a court every day because you knew what you were getting from her and her effort,” added Mulkey.

“It didn’t matter how banged up she was, how hurt she felt.

“She will take this loss extremely hard because that’s how she was raised. And give me the Aneesah Morrows of the world every day.”

Morrow received the Katrina McClain Award as the top power forward in the country and could have helped her career prospects by playing on the wing instead of trying to replace Reese under the boards.

“My team doesn’t need me to play the three right now,” she insisted.

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Morrow played alongside Reese (No. 10), Flau’jae Johnson (No. 4), and Hailey Van Lith (No. 11) on a star-studded LSU team[/caption]

“I need to be as fierce and dominant on the boards as I possibly can be. We need that post presence.”

Tipped to go inside the top seven picks, one destination that has been regularly mocked is the upstart Golden State Valkyries.

The expansion franchise holds the No. 5 pick.

“I really want to go somewhere where my style of play fits,” Morrow said of her destination

“Fast pace. Fast offense. Being able to switch defensively and just being able to make an impact.”

Whichever team calls her name, they will be getting a player who is hungry to succeed.

“She can probably outeat my sons,” Morrow’s mother, Nafeesah, said via Fox Sports.

“You won’t have a problem with this kid, I promise you — unless you don’t feed her.”

A new Valkyries franchise looking to carve out a path and a battle-hardened warrior with no quit in her. It could be a match made in heaven.