A scary situation occurred at the White House as the LSU women’s basketball team was celebrating winning the national championship. Freshman player Sa’Myah Smith fainted during the ceremony and was helped off the stage during Friday’s ceremony with President Joe Biden, according to ESPN. Medical staff rushed into the East Room of the White House to attend to Smith who was standing in the risers behind the podium. At the time, Biden was calling for year-round support for women’s sports.ย
“It’s a lot of standing. I apologize,” Biden said. “It’s OK. It’s happened lots of times.” Smith was wheeled out, and LSU head coach Kim Mulkey gave an update on Smith’s condition following the incident.ย
Videos by PopCulture.com
“As you can see, we leave our mark where we go. Sa’myah planned that,” Mulkey said. “No, Sa’Myah is fine, for those of you who are concerned. I’ll assure you of that. … She doesn’t want to leave. She wants to stand with us but she needs to be checked out.”ย
Smith just finished her first season with the Tigers and was a big contributor to the team’s run to the national title. In 36 games, Smith averaged 4.6 points and four rebounds while earning a spot on the All-SEC Freshman Team. In the national title game against Iowa, Smith scored two points in 10 minutes of action.ย
In an interview with the Texarkana Gazette, Smith talked about playing under Mulkey. “She’s a great coach, a legendary coach. I think anybody would be grateful to play for her, just to be in her presence. She’s going to push you and make you uncomfortable, but it’s going to help you grow and get to the next level,” Smith said. Smith also shared advice to kids who want to play college basketball. She said: “Don’t let where you come from hinder where you are going. Keep striving and go for what you want to go for, no one knows your limit except you.”
LSU won the national title in women’s basketball for the first time in school history. The Tigers have been to the Final Four six times and the Sweet Sixteen 15 times. Mulkey finished her second season at LSU after spending 21 years at Baylor.ย
