Hailey Van Lith (Photo via Hailey Van Lith/Instagram)
Last month, Hailey Van Lith was rumored to be taking her talents to TCU after she announced she was transferring from the LSU Tigers following a frustrating year.
There had been reports that Van Lith was headed to TCU, but she told the Associated Press that she hadn’t made a final decision yet.
The 5-foot-7 guard made things clear this week when she took to her Instagram and shared several photos of herself in a Horned Frogs uniform to confirm her commitment to TCU.
In the first photo, Van Lith is seen in TCU gear holding a basketball. In the second picture, she adds a sparkly basketball with TCU colors and a black cowboy hat.
In the third photo, she is bouncing the ball while pointing to the camera. In the last picture, Van Lith is seen with the basketball on her shoulder.
Here is how fans reacted to the pictures in her comments:
Van Lith, who joined LSU this past season and reached the Elite Eight with the defending national champion before a loss to Caitlin Clark and Iowa, will now get another chance at being the star guard that she was at Louisville and make one final statement before she heads to the WNBA in 2025.
Prior to choosing to join the LSU squad led by four-time champion coach Kim Mulkey, Hailey Van Lith played her first three seasons at Louisville, where she advanced to two Final Fours and one Elite Eight.
During her time with the Cardinals and Tigers, the guard averaged 14.5 points, four rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game. Before switching to point guard for Mulkey’s squad, she was primarily a wing player for Louisville.
Van Lith is joining a TCU team that was ranked in the AP Top 25 this season. However, the Horned Frogs had to postpone two games due to injury and hold open tryouts to increase the size of their roster.
Kim Mulkey Responded To Hailey Van Lith Transferring After One Season With LSU
Hailey Van Lith (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Kim Mulkey has no issues with touted offseason acquisition Hailey Van Lith’s decision to transfer after just one season with LSU.
“Her aspirations were to get drafted this year, 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,” Mulkey said at a team banquet, according to Nola.com. “And what do you do? You hug her, and you wish her well.”
Van Lith’s output decreased when she moved from an off-ball position with Louisville to the point guard position with the Tigers.
After averaging 15.4 points on 13.2 shots per game with the Cardinals, Van Lith tallied just 11.6 points on 9.9 shots per game with the Tigers.
“My Focus Is on the NBA Finals” – JJ Redick Breaks Silence Amid LA Lakers Head Coach Rumors
JJ Redick (Photo by Angela Weiss/Getty Images for David Yurman)
Amid speculation surrounding the Los Angeles Lakers’ head coaching vacancy, JJ Redick has emerged as a strong favorite for the position following the firing of Darvin Ham. With rumors swirling about his potential candidacy, the former NBA star recently addressed the speculation.
Currently, Redick is actively engaged in the NBA Finals as a television analyst. When asked about the coaching rumors, he claimed that his current focus is on his role as an NBA analyst during the Finals.
“My focus right now is on calling the NBA Finals. In terms of Shams, that will be addressed once the season is over. I’ll just say that,” Reddick said.
Meanwhile, reports suggest that the Lakers have internally discussed a coaching staff that includes him, alongside James Borrego, Scott Brooks, Greg St. Jean, and Rajon Rondo.
Redick’s connection to the Lakers organization only fueled the speculation. As a pundit and host of the “Mind the Game” podcast, he regularly shares basketball insights with Lakers star LeBron James.
Despite Redick’s extensive playing experience spanning 15 years, he remains a rookie in the coaching realm. This has led many fans to express frustration over the potential decision to appoint him as head coach.
Anthony Davis Believed to Favor James Borrego Over JJ Redick
NBA correspondent Marc Stein recently offered a different perspective amid the ongoing speculation surrounding the Lakers’ head coach position. According to Stein, some voices within the league suggest that Lakers star Anthony Davis may prefer James Borrego over JJ Redick for the role.
“Not only has Borrego been a head coach twice already in Orlando and Charlotte compared to Redick’s lack of head coaching experience, but he and Davis overlapped briefly during Borrego’s first stint with the Pelicans after Davis was drafted No. 1 overall in June 2012,” Stein said.
James Borrego has prior experience as a head coach. Hence, he is widely viewed as the secondary option in the Lakers’ coaching search. However, his history with Davis is believed to be a significant factor in the preference for the former No. 1 pick.
The ultimate decision is expected to be announced after the conclusion of the NBA Finals. Speculations will continue to swirl regarding who will lead the Lakers from the sidelines in the upcoming season.
