Hailey Van Lith's Game Is Loud As Hell
Slam|July - August 2019

Though she lives in a quiet town in the state of washington,class of 2020 guard hailey van lith’s game is loud as hell. Listen up.

Ryne Nelson
Hailey Van Lith's Game Is Loud As Hell

Cashmere, Wa, is a peaceful town of 3,140 people that sits in the valley of the Cascade Mountains. It’s also the home of Hailey Van Lith, one of the most electrifying point guards in the nation.

Once as under-the-radar as the idyllic Washington town she hails from, Van Lith is now an internet sensation, boasting more followers on Instagram than most WNBA and college basketball stars.

A fiery point guard with a healthy helping of spice to her game, the lefty is a walking highlight. She’s been crossing up defenders almost from the moment she picked up a ball—literally breaking her older brother’s ankle in their first game of one-on-one.

At 5-9, she may not stand out off the court, but make no mistake: Hailey Van Lith is a killer who intends to bury her opponent as quickly as possible. And she’ll make it look easy while doing so.

“[My style of play] is a little saucy. I definitely do enjoy the flair, but I can be fundamental, too, and I really love defense,” says the 17-year-old junior. “So it’s saucy, but it’s also serious. It’s business out there for me.”

Before every game, Van Lith goes into the huddle and screams, “Let’s get this money!” Then she goes to work, unleashing an array of buckets. Step-back trey. Cash. Snatch back hesi through traffic. And one. Pump fake cross. Swish.

Armed with elite quickness and strength, Van Lith is impossible to hold in check. A hawk on defense, she plays the passing lanes for steals and creates fast breaks.

“Transition is where you can really get saucy,” she says. “You can throw behind-the-back passes, you might do a wrap-around. It’s endless.”

This story is from the July - August 2019 edition of Slam.

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This story is from the July - August 2019 edition of Slam.

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