MIES (Switzerland) - While Hailey Van Lith has already pocketed four gold medals in FIBA competitions while wearing the iconic USA national team jersey, her success at the international level was not always mirrored in a colorful and highly eventful College career.
One of the most famous ballers in the women's game with her astonishing 1.2 million Instagram followers, the curtain finally came down on Van Lith's time in the NCAA at March Madness 2025.
So often a controversial figure in recent years, the line of people looking to knock down Van Lith when the opportunity arose was not exactly as long as the one formed by her supporters, but it was nevertheless substantial.
Yet despite some deep-seated adversity, including dealing with some well documented mental health challenges, the all-action guard stepped off an epic NCAA roller-coaster ride with her head held high.
While not having landed a title, she delivered a remarkable story of redemption by signing off a truly majestic senior campaign in style. It similtaneously poked her detractors in the eye and re-affirmed the level of talent and promise shown attributed to her when still a kid.
Projected to be a women's basketball superstar, Van Lith set about living up to that hype with some stellar displays for her country. Helping the USA land gold at the FIBA U17 Women's Basketball World Cup 2018 and then completing a double with another podium topping effort at the FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup 2019.
A fiercely competitive and highly skilled 3x3 baller, she also caught fire with USA in this environment too, picking up the FIBA 3x3 World Cup 2023 title and 2019 FIBA 3x3 U18 World Cup honors. She also collected 3x3 bronze at Paris 2024, prior to being named USA Basketball 3x3 Female Athlete of the Year.
Those earlier successes came at a time when she burst onto the scene with Louisville - attracting seemingly limitless traction online with her feisty approach and terrific playmaking abilities. Her ability to get 'chippy' as she once coined it and love of 'talking trash' to her opponents, quickly attained almost legendary and unrivalled status.
Van Lith transferred in what looked like a potential dream move to LSU, but it morphed into a nightmare. A team stacked with stars misfired and she suffered more than most - a situation cruelly and virally underlined by her being tormented by Caitlin Clark in a now infamous game.
Those who disliked her took great joy in effectively (and unfairly) turning her career into little more than a meme.
But showing courage and resilience that was helped by being mentored by the late and great Kobe Bryant, Van Lith turned the page with yet another move - this time selecting TCU.
It proved to be masterstroke. She was able to channel that fiery outlook into something special, becoming a leader and the positive voice of her team - alongside an array of exceptional displays on the hardwood.
At March Madness 2025 there were no more memes. Only reels of her outstanding performances as her career came full circle and back to that early hype - alongside the eye-catching international form that never showed any signs of fading.
She carried TCU to the Elite Eight and lknocked out the highly-fancied Notre Dame en-route. While eventually missing out on the Final Four in an intense loss to Texas, her team-high 17 points and 8 rebounds in her last ever (and 172nd) NCAA outing, was confirmation of an astonishing renaissance.
Van Lith arrived at TCU wondering if she could even just survive, but exited absolutely bursting with pride and as the unrivalled heartbeat of a team that just posted their greatest ever College season.
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