LSU coach Kim Mulkey gives an explanation on why Hailey Van Lith decided to transfer.
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- Опубликовано: 11 апр 2024
- LSU coach Kim Mulkey gives an explanation on why Hailey Van Lith decided to transfer.
In a heartfelt address to fans and boosters, LSU's esteemed women's basketball coach, Kim Mulkey, opened up about the departure of star player Hailey Van Lith and the rationale behind her decision to reenter the NCAA transfer portal. This revelation came as a surprise to many, as neither Van Lith nor Mulkey had publicly discussed the departure until the LSU women's basketball team's year-end banquet held within the hallowed halls of the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
Van Lith, a talented guard still in pursuit of a fifth season of college basketball, opted out of the highly anticipated 2024 WNBA draft, indicating her commitment to further developing her skills at the collegiate level. Mulkey, in her address, expressed gratitude towards Van Lith and commended her for the courage to embark on a new journey. She elucidated that Van Lith's decision stemmed from a desire to return to her preferred position on the court, away from the pressures of the WNBA draft and the unfamiliar role she assumed during her senior year at LSU.
During her tenure at Louisville, Van Lith primarily operated in an off-ball scoring role, but her senior year at LSU saw her thrust into the spotlight as the starting point guard and primary ball handler. Despite her valiant efforts to adapt to this new role, Van Lith faced challenges, with most of her scoring metrics witnessing a decline. Mulkey acknowledged Van Lith's commitment to the team and praised her unwavering work ethic, lauding her willingness to step out of her comfort zone in pursuit of growth and improvement.
Mulkey emphasized Van Lith's ambition to hone her skills, citing her decision to transfer to LSU as a strategic move to broaden her basketball acumen and learn from Mulkey herself, a seasoned veteran in the sport. Mulkey's own experience and expertise in playing the position that Van Lith aspired to master undoubtedly played a pivotal role in the transfer decision.
Van Lith's departure adds to the roster changes for LSU, with Mulkey highlighting the team's commitment to evolution and competitiveness. The departure of two freshmen, Janae Kent and Angelica Velez, alongside Van Lith, underscores the team's transitional phase. However, Mulkey remains optimistic, having already welcomed a promising addition from the transfer portal, former Arkansas forward Jersey Wolfenbarger.
In reflecting on Van Lith's journey, Mulkey reiterated her admiration for the player's tenacity and dedication, describing her as one of the hardest-working individuals she's ever coached. As Van Lith continues her quest for excellence, Mulkey's words serve as a testament to the enduring spirit of resilience and growth that defines LSU's basketball program.
LSU
Kim Mulkey
Hailey Van Lith
NCAA transfer portal
Women's basketball
WNBA draft
Pete Maravich Assembly Center
Louisville
Basketball position
Off ball scoring
Point guard
Roster changes
Transfer portal
Jersey Wolfenbarger
Resilience
She's a front runner,that's why ...keep running
The question who team it going to be next year
And what kind of teammate they:re going to be.
Because she sold LSU out for Iowa and made Clark look so good it was stupid lol but the UConn girl exposed Clark with great defense on Clark
She left cause LSU coaching was awful
You spot on
Kim Mulkey took a five star draftee for the WNBA into negative five star player in just one year of LSU coaching.
Van Lith is fully capable of giving her own explanation. Mulkey can’t stand not being in the spotlight.
Get out of here, hater! HVL was here for ONE season! She can’t handle SEC competition! Go back to the ACC! BYE!
She needs to go to Texas Tech
Kim saw herself in Hailey but Hailey didn't have to same fight in her to win like kim. Case Closed.😅
Kim Mulkey, enough said. Next!
She left because Angel Reese declared for the WNBA. If Reese would have stayed one more year I guarantee that she would have stayed.
Van lith should have never left Louisville
I get the concept of trying her out in a new position, but the moment she wasn't thriving. Why keep her there. She was in her 4th and final year, she was a star. Why take her into your program if you didn't want to use her the way she was being used before. Now she's got to do a fifth year, she probably won't make as much in NIL. That last game was embarrassing, she was putting in the effort. She just wasn't being successful. Why leave her there? She's trying to guard someone that was too good for her. Aren't coaches supposed to protect their players.
Was and is has two complete different meaning. Kim Mulkey is jealous of HVL so she had a very special project to HVL into bad player
Please HVL was on her because Flau Jae and Poa had already picked up 2 quick fouls guarding her. Bench wasn’t that deep.
@@sarahphillips8987 well I guess it's a good thing they didn't foul out.
Since Kim played the position all her life and should’ve know there was no way in hell she could bring her in as the starting PG. With what she had, it just wasn’t a good fit.
Obviously none of you know what you're talking about. Kim took a 9 and 13 team to 26 and 5. Then a natty her second year. It's a reason why Walz didn't develop her as a point. You either got it or you don't. Over a thousand players in the portal. So are all the coaches garbage? Stop hating on Kim Mulkey. 7 total championships. HVL is garbage. Slow on both ends of the court
She left because her thug life speech doesn't fit in Baton Rouge. Plus Kaitlin beat the brakes off of her.
Thug life speech? Sounds like racism is beating the brakes off you.
You wouldn't consider Van lith talking thug
Really.
no wat i said?
Never like HVL from the get-go at LSU - not a fit -- I think everybody hates dribblers--she proved she can defend of shoot in critical times -- NBA -- NOT A CHANCE.
U lame af
Her move from Louisville to LSU definitely hurt her potential value in the WNBA draft and it exposed the many weaknesses in her game. It will be interesting to see where she ends up because she definitely appeared to be among those who were disruptive forces for the LSU team. I suspect another SEC or ACC team might pick her up, teams with strong positive cultures like South Carolina, UCONN, Iowa and many of the Big 10 teams don’t need her or want her and I doubt she would be welcomed back to Louisville.
It won't be a problem. She'll still be in the top 10 in next years draft, maybe top 5.. most players would struggle if you completely change their position so the wnba will understand the off year . She went from being a bucket scoring whenever to mostly passing
Beg to differ it’s a difference if the coach had faith in her but she didn’t have her interest it’s was focused on last year wave and hoping angel can have the same luck but nope failed short because angel has no skill
Kim is a crappy coach, no players want to be coached by her
Interesting tho... was she crappy when she won the title last year or her other chips...?
That is not what Angel said as her reason for wanting to go to LSU.
lol sure she has 4 nattys as a coach and 2 more as a player but she’s terrible and knows nothing about bball.
She was never going to work as a point guard. It was an experiment that was not clearly not working and we had no one ready to run the point which was a recruiting error. HVL and Flau'jae couldn't both play the 2 guard spot and are too small to play SF so it was a bad choice to bring her in. A real shame.