Louisville transfer Hailey Van Lith has committed to the LSU Tigers, per her Instagram page. The 5-foot-7 guard is joining Kim Mulkey's 2023 national championship team.
Van Lith, a First Team All-ACC selection in 2022 and 2023, led the Cardinals in scoring with 19.7 points per game last season. She also registered 4.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.5 steals per contest. Along with Iowa star Caitlin Clark, she was one of just two Power Five players to average 19 points, four rebounds and three assists per game.
🚨🚨🚨 Let’s GEAUX!! #WelcomeToTheShow pic.twitter.com/HUG0UFqMnc
— Kim Mulkey (@KimMulkey) April 27, 2023
She is a dynamic offensive player that can be a good replacement for Alexis Morris -- LSU's second leading scorer, who is now chasing her WNBA dream. Last year, the Tigers had one of the top five scoring offenses in the nation, and will likely stay there next season with the returning and incoming talent.
They were also known as a tough and physical team to play, and Van Lith has a reputation for never backing down from a challenge. After being named an AP All-American Honorable Mention, she made sure to let people know she was ready to prove she was worth a lot more than that.
"I'm not motivated at all by the fact that they named me honorable mention. I know who I am and I know what God thinks I am," she said late March after being eliminated from the NCAA Tournament during the Elite Eight round. "God doesn't think I'm an honorable mention. I'll tell you that right now. I don't need external motivation."
The 21-year-old is still chasing a ring and has two years of college eligibility remaining. Van Lith will also be eligible for the WNBA next year if she choses that route. She was the top player in the transfer portal, which she entered as a "do not contact" prospect, meaning she could reach out to programs but coaches could not reach out to her.
Coming out of high school, one of Van Lith's top schools was Baylor -- when Mulkey was still coaching the Bears.
The Tigers just earned the school's first ever NCAA Tournament championship in basketball -- men's or women's. Van Lith's move to Baton Rouge only strengthens the Tigers' chances at defending that title next year as their star player Angel Reese is also returning.
Reese was the Tigers' top scorer and rebounder last season, while registering 34 double-doubles to mark a single-season NCAA record. Other impactful players coming back include Flau'jae Johnson and Kateri Poole. Mulkey's team will also get an extra boost with the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation.
