One of college basketball's biggest names is headed to greener pastures. Louisville guard Hailey Van Lith is entering the transfer portal, spelling an end to her glittering three-year career playing home games at the KFC Yum! Center.
Van Lith averaged 19.7 points, 3.2 assists, and 4.5 rebounds per game last year, earning all-conference honors as the Cardinals advanced to their fifth consecutive Elite Eight. In 2022, Van Lith propelled the Cardinals to the Final Four, garnering Most Outstanding Player of the Wichita Regional honors in the process.
One of women's college basketball's true marquee names, Van Lith should have a plethora of schools trying to secure her services. Not only is she one of the most effective guards in the country — she and Caitlin Clark were the only Power 5 players to average 19 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists per game last year — Van Lith is also among the biggest social media draws in the sport, a brash personality with plenty of game to back it up.
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So where will Van Lith land? There will be plenty of suitors for the Wenatchee, Washington native. Here are some of our favorites.
Hailey Van Lith landing spots
LSU Tigers
Can the rich get richer? Fresh off a national championship run in Kim Mulkey's second season, there aren't a whole lot of holes in LSU's roster. Heliocentric big with game-changing ability on the glass? Check. Young and talented guard play? Check. Depth? Check and check.
With that, the Tigers did just lose star guard Alexis Morris to graduation. That opens up a spot for a lead playmaker, one that Van Lith could more than fill in. The prospect of Van Lith and Angel Reese linking up for pick and rolls is enticing, especially given Van Lith's proclivity for mid-range buckets. Also, Van Lith was this close to playing under Mulkey at Baylor, per CBS Sports' Adi Joseph.
I have no inside info on this, but Van Lith’s final two schools in the high school recruiting process were Louisville and Baylor, whose coach was Kim Mulkey, who now is at newly crowned champion LSU, which just lost point guard Alexis Morris. https://t.co/Qj9tIPbjqc — Adi Joseph (@AdiJoseph) April 8, 2023
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Iowa Hawkeyes
Can we dream a little? Look, Iowa may not have the name recognition of some of the other squads on this list. But it does have Clark, a transcendent talent who, like Van Lith, earned five-star billing in the Class of 2020 recruiting. Clark and Van Lith are plenty familiar with one another, having turned up for various USA teams all throughout high school and college. And although the two got into a little back-and-forth during the Hawkeyes' demolition of the Cardinals in the Elite Eight, that's part and parcel of being a hooper, something the pair are more than familiar with.
Clark is going to need some help. With Monika Czinano done after a sterling five-year career in Des Moines, the Hawkeyes' roster sans Clark is looking a little wet behind the ears. Van Lith could add a bit of dynamism to the backcourt, all while opening up the floor for Clark. Head coach Lisa Bluder showed off her play-calling artistry with Clark and Czinano. Adding Van Lith in the mix? That would be a sight to see.
South Carolina Gamecocks
Speaking of guard play, who cultivates guard play better than Dawn Staley? The Hall of Fame coach has already proven she can win with dominant paint presences (A'ja Wilson, Aliyah Boston). In Van Lith, she would get a chance to mold a player with an approach to the game strikingly similar to her own.
As long as Staley is in SC, they are contenders. For a person as fiercely competitive as Van Lith, that's sure to be alluring. Now, are there kinks to work out? Quite possibly. But the fact remains that if Van Lith wants a title, there are few places better to go than Columbia.
Washington State Cougars
Perhaps a bit presumptuous, we know. But the Cougars are on the up, having captured their first-ever Pac-12 title in the 2022-23 season. Could that be enough to coax the state's prodigal daughter to return? Maybe. Maybe not. Either way, it would be crazy for WSU to not make serious inquiries for the hometown kid.
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Washington Huskies
The Evergreen State was home to another talented lefty with a knack for finding the basket: Kelsey Plum, who starred for the Huskies before being taken first overall in the 2017 WNBA Draft.
Now, don't get us wrong. Washington did not have the best of seasons last year. But, the prospect of returning home could be alluring for Van Lith. Additionally, the 21-year old inked an exclusive name, image and likeness deal with Adidas — the same company that sponsors the Huskies' jerseys and shoes. Coincidence? We think not.
Miami Hurricanes
Look, if Van Lith wants a title, she'd be better suited to choosing one of the nation's other sides. However, if she wants to make a bag, she should take her talents to South Beach.
Get it: Van Lith is an Adidas athlete? Well, Miami is an Adidas school. Van Lith is a social media darling? So were former Hurricanes guards Haley and Hanna Cavinder. And you know who has a billionaire backer seemingly wiling to blow any amount of money on talented basketball prospects? None other than the Canes, who receive regular investment from Uber-rich booster John Ruiz.
Van Lith can go anywhere to get a title. But if she wants to get some money, don't be surprised if she ends up in Vice City.