How Hailey Van Lith’s transfer impacts NCAA champion LSU

LSU’s Kim Mulkey made waves in the offseason for the second consecutive year by picking up a program-changing transfer. The four-time NCAA championship coach turned heads again Thursday, earning a commitment from former Louisville all-ACC guard Hailey Van Lith, whose decision to enter the portal was one of the most shocking moves of the one-time transfer era.

Earlier this month, Angel Reese — a transfer from Maryland — propelled the Tigers to their first Final Four since 2008, where she won most outstanding player and helped LSU win its first national title.

But standout point guard Alexis Morris is gone (selected by the Connecticut Sun in the second round of the 2023 WNBA draft), as are starters LaDazhia Williams (drafted No. 17 by the Indiana Fever) and Jasmine Carson. Now the Tigers have reloaded, not just with Van Lith — the No. 1 player in ESPN’s transfer rankings — and Reese, but also the nation’s top-ranked recruiting class, which features McDonald’s All-Americans Mikaylah Williams and Aalyah del Rosario.

And LSU might not be done yet, as DePaul transfer Aneesah Morrow — one of the country’s top scorers over the past two seasons and No. 2 in ESPN’s transfer rankings — will visit Baton Rouge this weekend.

ESPN’s Charlie Creme, Alexa Philippou and M.A. Voepel assess what Van Lith’s decision means for LSU on court and chemistry-wise, as well as for the rest of the national landscape, going into the 2023-24 season.

How, and where, does Van Lith slide into the LSU backcourt?

Charlie Creme: Let’s be clear: Van Lith is not a point guard. She has played off the ball the majority of her career. She’s a scorer, a shot-seeker and has a big-game mentality. But Van Lith is not a facilitator who sets up teammates on a regular basis. That isn’t her strength. She has had more turnovers than assists in three college seasons.

The future pro prospects of the 5-foot-7 Van Lith might rest with her developing those skills, and with Morris gone, LSU might…