Hailey Van Lith Could Join Forces With Juju Watkins at USC Amid Transfer Portal Drama, as Per Reports

The LSU Tigers will not have some of the best players on their 2023 roster for the next season. Angel Reese has made the big decision to go pro, and she will join the WNBA this year. However, something out of the blue was Hailey Van Lith’s decision to enter the transfer portal. The disappointing loss in the Elite Eight to Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes has, in a way, triggered Van Lith to make this sudden decision. But this might be for the good, as reports have revealed that she could possibly team up with Juju Watkins at USC. 

A famous USC beat reporter, Luca Evan, shared on Twitter, “Seeing a lot of talk around Hailey Van Lith as a potential fit for (USC). Could absolutely work if she accepts a Kayla Padilla-style role as a secondary ball-handler/catch-and-shoot threat playing off JuJu Watkins.” This is the second straight year that Van Lith is entering the transfer portal. She played three years for the Louisville Cardinals before joining LSU last year. 

Juju Watkins, who just finished her freshman year, is expected to be the face of the USC Trojans, and arguably the face of college basketball for the upcoming seasons. 

Read more: Bashing Criticism With Season High Display, Hailey Van Lith Gets Angel Reese and Kim Mulkey’s Support

21-year-old Van Lith can be a crucial supporting cast member for Watkins, but will she be open to being the “secondary ball-handler” at USC? Let’s see how the Trojans might be able to fit in Van Lith if she agrees to join. 

Can Hailey Van Lith be a threat alongside Juju Watkins? 

The Trojans are highly dependent on their guards. They have a small ball lineup but with an amazing production on the offense. With Juju Watkins averaging 27.1 points in her first year, Van Lith won’t have a chance to be the primary ball handler or scorer. Moreover, even in scoring, the 21-year-old might not be the second option. There is probably McKenzie Forbes before Van Lith. 

Forbes is a 6-foot senior who averaged 14.3 points, 3.3 assists, and 3.1 rebounds in her fourth year of college basketball. She has been the second-best scorer on the team after Watkins, and USC might be forced to give Van Lith a minimal role, similar to the one she had in LSU.

With that in mind, the UConn Huskies can also be another possible landing spot for Van Lith. However, they already have a pretty stacked team. So what do you think Van Lith’s final year is going to look like? 

Read more: “F**k Ya’ll Want Me to Do”: Fans Turn Against Hailey Van Lith as Caitlin Clark Hands a Tough Night to LSU Star