Kim Mulkey explains Hailey Van Lith’s decision to transfer from LSU

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LSU Transfer Hailey Van Lith Visiting Rival SEC Program, per Report

After an Elite Eight exit in the NCAA tournament, the LSU women’s basketball team is set for some major losses.

Angel Reese declared for the WNBA draft, and while she wasn’t joined by Hailey Van Lith — who was also eligible — the transfer addition Louisville opted to re-enter the portal and play her final season of collegiate eligibility elsewhere.

Speaking at the team’s end-of-year banquet, coach Kim Mulkey elaborated on that decision.

“Her aspirations were to get drafted this year,” Mulkey said, per nola.com, “and she realized, ‘I need another year, and I need to go back to a place where I can relax and get back to my normal position. And what do you do? You hug her, and you wish her well.”

Van Lith moved to the point guard with the Tigers after mostly playing shooting guard at Louisville, and the result was a significant dip in production.

She averaged 11.6 points and 3.6 assists, but the transition never seemed to be a smooth one. Now, Van Lith will look to boost her draft stock in what will likely be a more offense-heavy role with whoever her new team is.

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LSU women’s basketball head coach Kim Mulkey empathized with Hailey Van Lith after a difficult season and wished the best for the guard after the 22-year-old entered the transfer portal

LSU women’s basketball head coach Kim Mulkey reserved time during a half-hour speech at an end-of-season banquet to shed light on Hailey Van Lith’s recent transfer decision and offer support to the guard, who faced immense criticism in recent months.

Van Lith spent just one year in Baton Rouge, having joined the Tigers from Louisville last offseason. Now, she’ll be on the move again after struggling to adapt to a playmaking role she’d never taken before. At her next stop, which has yet to be determined, the Washington native hopes to use her natural scoring abilities more often.

“Her aspirations were to get drafted this year,” Mulkey reportedly told banquet attendees. “And she realized, ‘I need another year, and I need to go back to a place where I can relax and get back to my normal position.’ And what do you do? You hug her, and you wish her well.”

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“She wanted to improve her strengths by coming to LSU with a goal of expanding her game by learning a position that I played my entire life,” Mulkey continued, “because she knows at the next level that’s her only chance – to be able to tell them somewhat, ‘I can handle the ball if you need me to.’

“She had to embrace a change in her mindset of not shooting it 20-30 times a game, but finding who’s open and getting them the ball. And sometimes it was hard because she would be pressured, and she’d be pounding the heck out of that ball.”

While Van Lith had positive moments throughout the season, she never looked as comfortable on the court at LSU as she did with Louisville. An apparent drop in confidence may have bled into her base skillset, with even her usually reliable jumper losing consistency down the stretch.

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Hailey Van Lith struggled to keep up with Caitlin Clark in the Elite Eight.
Hailey Van Lith struggled to keep up with Caitlin Clark in the Elite Eight. ( 
Image:
Getty Images)
Aside from a critical drawn charge late in a Sweet 16 win over UCLA, the NCAA Tournament went disappointingly for the aspiring WNBA player. Mulkey benched her for a stretch in the second round, and her offensive game never quite found life. Then, she struggled to keep up with Caitlin Clark in a loss to Iowa.

Still, Mulkey defended Van Lith throughout the season, connecting with her on a personal level. Mulkey attempted to shield Van Lith from the nastiest swipes from fans. The coach appreciated that Van Lith showed consistent effort even when struggling from the floor.

“Hailey Van Lith is one of the hardest working players that I’ve ever coached,” Mulkey concluded.

Van Lith has reportedly drawn interest from Stanford, a school closer to her hometown of Wenatchee, Washington. However, at the time of Mulkey’s banquet speech, Van Lith’s future destination remained undecided, with several high-profile schools likely checking in.