Hailey Van Lith
A fiercely competitive scoring guard whose clutch performances at Louisville made her a college star and first-round WNBA prospect.
Born 2001 (age 25)·American basketball player·Birthday: September 9·Generation Z
Biography
Hailey Van Lith plays basketball with a trademark scowl and a scorer's heart. From Cashmere, Washington, she exploded onto the national scene as a high school phenomenon. At Louisville, she became a fearless leader for coach Jeff Walz, hitting crucial shots in deep NCAA Tournament runs. She transferred to LSU and later TCU for her final college season, searching for new challenges. Drafted into the WNBA, she brought that same unwavering confidence to the professional ranks.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Hailey was born in 2001, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Hailey Was Born
The biggest hits of 2001
#1 Movie
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Best Picture
A Beautiful Mind
#1 TV Show
Survivor
Hailey's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
2001Born
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2006Started school
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2014Became a teenager
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2017Could drive
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2019Could vote
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2022Turned 21
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 25 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Led the Louisville Cardinals to the NCAA Women's Final Four in 2022, earning All-Tournament Team honors.
- Was named a First-Team All-ACC selection in 2023 after a standout junior season at Louisville.
- Selected in the first round of the WNBA draft by the Chicago Sky.
- Was a McDonald's All-American and national high school player of the year finalist.
Did You Know?
She gained a large social media following during her college career, known for her intense on-court demeanor.
She played for Team USA, winning a gold medal at the 2021 FIBA Under-19 Women's World Cup.
In high school, she once scored 57 points in a single game.
“I don't smile on the court because I'm not there to make friends.”
