Hailey Van Lith and Caitlin ClarkHailey Van Lith and Caitlin Clark

When Caitlin Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes faced off against Hailey Van Lith’s Louisville Cardinals in the 2023 NCAA women’s tournament, their 97-83 win to advance to the Final Four sparked drama. Chief among them was Clark’s “you can’t see me” taunt, which many painted as a shot at Van Lith.

In an interview with Bleach Report’s Taylor Rooks in June 2023, Van Lith clarified what really happened. Despite national media latching onto the narrative, she insisted that the gesture was not actually directed at her.

What did Hailey Van Lith say about Caitlin Clark?

Hailey Van Lith guarding Caitlin ClarkHailey Van Lith guarding Caitlin Clark
Speaking to Rooks, Van Lith explained that the media ran with the viral moment lacking context. She clarified that her and Clark have no beef, insisting the portrayed rivalry was fabricated and their relationship isn’t as it appeared.

“It was actually hilarious because right after the game I texted her and I was like, ‘The media is dumb.’ I’m sorry, you guys have no idea. They just make stuff up and then they just put it all over the internet and everyone thinks it’s true. Like, it’s just hilarious,” she said.

“We were laughing about it because she did it to her strength coach. She didn’t do it to anyone on our team, especially me. Definitely not toward me. She did it to her strength coach and it wasn’t even in a moment where I didn’t even see it in the game. I was probably dribbling the ball up the court after she just hit a 3 in our face.”

“It’s just funny how camera angles and perceptions are skewed through the media, but it was just hilarious. We laughed about it after. I don’t even remember, I didn’t even see it happen, so my perception. … I don’t even have one because I didn’t even know it happened until I saw it over Instagram later,” Van Lith said.

The storyline reached a fever pitch when LSU’s Angel Reese appeared to repay Clark’s taunt with her own “you can’t see me” wave in the final seconds of LSU’s national championship win.

However, as Van Lith revealed, the entire narrative was overblown from the start. Despite the headlines, there was never any animosity or bad blood brewing between the stars.

How did Kim Mulkey lure Hailey Van Lith to LSU?

Hailey Van Lith and Kim MulkeyHailey Van Lith and Kim Mulkey
Coming out of high school, Hailey Van Lith was recruited by Kim Mulkey to play at Baylor. The two immediately clicked, with LSU staffers shocked by their uncanny similarities. But Van Lith ultimately chose Louisville, where she starred for three seasons and averaged 15.4 points per game.

Mulkey long dreamed of coaching the electrifying guard. So when Van Lith hit the transfer portal last offseason, LSU made their move. She wanted to win big and further develop her game, and LSU proved a perfect match.

Van Lith spoke to several schools during her recruiting redo, but a surprise impromptu visit to Baton Rouge left an impression. The chance to achieve something special under Mulkey at LSU swayed her decision.

Though Van Lith originally turned down Mulkey and Baylor in recruiting, their undeniable bond brought them back together.