Hailey Van Lith has made a name for herself as one of the most elite point guards in women’s college basketball. Her stock keeps rising, and she is being touted as a first-round pick.
However, Van Lith credits her success and her winning attitude to the Los Angeles Lakers icon, Kobe Bryant. Lith highlights that, like many others, Bryant’s “Mamba Mentality” has affected her as well.
Hailey Van Lith Credits Kobe Bryant for Achieving Success
On Sunday, March 23, Van Lith faced off against her former team, the Louisville Cardinals, and showed them no mercy in the second round of the NCAA tournament. She registered 16 points, 5 rebounds, and 10 assists in the game.
After the game, the 2025 Big 12 Player of the Year was talking about her journey this season in the locker room. The 23-year-old didn’t forget to mention Bryant’s effect on her game and mentality.
“You know, it started Kobe,” she said, learning to value her journey more than the results. “He planted that seed in me, and I didn’t know it at the time, but it’s the essence of life.”
"It started with Kobe [Bryant]. He planted that seed in me and I didn't know it at the time. It's the essence of life and it's basically been some of my career is how can I enjoy this journey?"
—Hailey Van Lith
(via @GirimonteNicky)pic.twitter.com/PiOYAVElQY
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 24, 2025
“It’s basically been the sum of my career is, how can I enjoy this journey? And, you know, last year and the years before, even though it wasn’t exactly what I wanted, it’s made me who I am, and it’s given me this platform this year, and it’s all come together.”
Van Lith met Bryant while she was in high school and has credited him with influencing her career during the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she led the USA team to a bronze medal.
Van Lith Highlights Mental Health Issues After TCU’s Win
Van Lith has been in the public eye for a considerable amount of time. During that, she has been the subject of memes and criticism online, which hampered her mental health. After TCU’s victory over Louisville, she opened up to the media about the tough phase of her life.
“I got exposed to the media and social media at such a young age I really struggled with mental health,” she said in the post-match press conference.
“When I was younger in college, I was suicidal, I was heavily medicated. I felt trapped and you would never know because I was having a ton of success on the court.”
She further highlighted that her arrival in Fort Worth coincided with her renewed faith in God, which lifted her from her dark thoughts and made her capable of achieving success.