Hailey Van Lith leans on self-confidence through LSU transition

“The only comparison between me and Hailey are the braids. She’s so much better than I ever was as a player,” Mulkey, who was a star point guard at Louisiana Tech in the 1980s, said at SEC Media Day in October.

Although Mulkey and Van Lith share the iconic blond braids and a few facial expressions, the two say their similarities end there.

“There are mannerisms-wise and specific things we do we are the same,” Van Lith told The Next on Friday. “Other than that, we are very different, especially from a basketball standpoint. My game is very different from hers, and that has benefited me because she’s teaching me a whole side of basketball that I didn’t come in with.”

The Next and The Equalizer are teaming up

The Next is partnering with The Equalizer to bring more women’s sports stories to your inbox. Subscribers to The Next now receive 50% off their subscription to The Equalizer for 24/7 coverage of women’s soccer.

LSU brings point guard growth

Mulkey was a classic point guard, whereas Van Lith gravitates toward the wing, calling herself “a natural scorer.” When Van Lith arrived in Baton Rogue, she was asked to play the point guard position because  Mulkey needed more help with ballhandling. Van Lith was prepared to learn the position and step up for whatever the team needed, but she hasn’t consistently played the point since high school, so it’s been an adjustment.

In this transition, Van Lith has gone from averaging 19.7 ppg and 4.5 rpg as Louisville’s primary wing to now averaging 12.3 ppg and 2.4 rpg — a symptom of her new position and the offensive threats surrounding her in Angel Reese, Flau’jae Johnson, Aneesah Morrow and Mikaylah Williams. Van Lith drew criticism earlier in the season for high turnovers, especially in a few big games in the first two-thirds of the season.

And this transition can often be very mentally challenging for players. Van Lith says she leans on her family, but her biggest support system is her self-confidence, part of the larger independence LSU allows.

“LSU is unique because it’s a very pro-style vibe. We all have our own lives. We come to practice, and we like each other. It’s not that we don’t like each other. We’re good friends, but like we all got our own shit to do,” Van Lith said. “It’s definitely unique, but it also allows you to be super individual and pursue the things you want to pursue.”

Throughout the season, she’s learned to pursue her own spin on the position and find solitude in knowing who she is. 

The Next, a 24/7/365 women’s basketball newsroom

The Next: A basketball newsroom brought to you by The IX. 24/7/365 women’s basketball coverage, written, edited and photographed by our young, diverse staff and dedicated to breaking news, analysis, historical deep dives and projections about the game we love.

Finding herself at the point

“At the beginning of the year, I was caught in the cycle of being a passing point guard. And that was not benefiting me,” Van Lith said. “I’m not Steph Curry, but I look at Steph Curry, and I’m like, ‘OK, he’s not the traditional point guard, and that’s who I can be.”

Van Lith says the key to her game is taking 3s and rebounding — if she’s had significant boards, she’s probably playing like herself. On Feb. 9, Van Lith scored her season high with 21 points and seven rebounds, leading her team to a 40-point win over Florida that set a program record for points scored in an SEC game. Throughout the season, she’s decreased her turnovers and learned to take care of the ball better.

She chalks her success up to “playing free” and not second-guessing her reads. Mulkey has also adjusted her rotations, playing Last-Tear Poa at the point more and opening up opportunities for Van Lith to shift over to the wing, which she admittedly still prefers.

“I feel like we’ve started to understand if she’s there, pass it there or give her a 3 [and] make a play,” Poa told The Next. “I feel like the flow is easier because we don’t really have to hold back.”

Throughout her season, Van Lith has received plenty of criticism — Tigers fans expected the player she was at Louisville, but that’s just not the case in Baton Rouge. Mulkey has been clear in rejecting the criticism.

Van Lith admits it sometimes upsets her, like the rumor she saw that she was paid $500,000 to come to LSU, but she’s learned to block out the noise.

“​​If they think I’ve had a bad year because my numbers aren’t up and they don’t know the details of how I’ve got better and what exactly is going on with my game, that’s OK. It’s not their job to know every single detail of my life,” Van Lith said about fan and media responses. “When I was younger, I was not like that. I was caught up in social media and I cared way too much.”

Add Locked On Women’s Basketball to your daily routine

Here at The Next, in addition to the 24/7/365 written content our staff provides, we also host the daily Locked On Women’s Basketball podcast. Join us Monday through Saturday each week as we discuss all things WNBA, collegiate basketball, basketball history and much more. Listen wherever you find podcasts or watch on YouTube.

The remainder of the season

Even after the Tigers’ SEC Tournament championship loss, there’s a lot more basketball for LSU and Van Lith. Van Lith is eligible for the WNBA Draft this year, although she has not said whether she’ll declare. According to Mulkey, Van Lith originally told her she’d stay for one season.

Many are speculating about how this year will affect Van Lith’s draft stock, with many mock drafts dropping Van Lith’s position over concerns about her ability to play against bigger guards and run the point.

But in the meantime, ESPN currently projects LSU as the No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, where Van Lith already has two Final Four appearances and an Elite Eight appearance under her belt. And although this year’s LSU team is more talented, the reigning champions are younger and less experienced, and so it might just be Van Lith’s opportunity to shine.

Pre-order ‘Rare Gems’ and save 30%

Howard Megdal, founder and editor of The Next and The IX, will release his next book on May 7, 2024. This deeply reported story follows four connected generations of women’s basketball pioneers, from Elvera “Peps” Neuman to Cheryl Reeve and from Lindsay Whalen to Sylvia Fowles and Paige Bueckers.

If you enjoy his coverage of women’s basketball every Wednesday at The IX, you will love “Rare Gems: How Four Generations of Women Paved the Way for the WNBA.” Click the link below and enter MEGDAL30 at checkout.