Kim Mulkey Explains Why Hailey Van Lith Is Transferring From LSU

Despite her decision to leave LSU, it seems Hailey Van Lith is still on good terms with coach Kim Mulkey.

Van Lith entered the transfer portal earlier this month after a lackluster year for the reigning champion LSU women's basketball team — notably after a horrifying performance against Iowa in an elimination loss in the Elite Eight.

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At a team banquet on Thursday, Mulkey explained the 22-year-old's departure from 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, according to Nola.com. "And what do you do? You hug her, and you wish her well."

(Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

Van Lith, previously heralded as a star in Louisville after three successful seasons, joined Mulkey's LSU squad, hoping to start a 'super team' alongside Angel Reese, Flau'jae Johnson and Aneesah Morrow (a fellow transfer).

But that's not how things worked out. 

READ: Hailey Van Lith Wants Out of Baton Rouge, Enters Transfer Portal After One Year

At LSU, Van Lith shifted to point guard, and her production went down. After averaging 15.4 points on 13.2 shots per game with the Cardinals, she tallied just 11.6 points on 9.9 shots per game with the Tigers. She also went from a 42.2% shooter to hitting just 37.8% of her shots.

"She wanted to improve her strengths by coming to LSU with a goal of expanding her game by learning a position that I played my entire life," Mulkey said, "because she knows at the next level that’s her only chance — to be able to tell them somewhat, ‘I can handle the ball if you need me to.’"

(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Mulkey added: "She had to embrace a change in her mindset of not shooting it 20-30 times a game, but finding who’s open and getting them the ball. And sometimes it was hard because she would be pressured, and she’d be pounding the heck out of that ball."

She said Van Lith "lived up to her commitment" to play one season for the Tigers. Mulkey also commended her as "one of the hardest working players that I’ve ever coached."

According to The Athletic, Hailey Van Lith is ranked ninth among transfer portal players, while ESPN has her at No. 12.