“Bruvahs”: TCU’s Hailey Van Lith shares smiles with WNBA star Dearica Hamby during 2024 Olympics opening ceremony
The 2024 Paris Olympics is underway and Hailey Van Lith is representing the United States in 3-on-3 women's basketball. This is the first time the TCU star has participated in the Summer Olympics. She previously led Team USA to a gold medal at the 2018 Youth Olympics.
Van Lith along with her 3x3 national team arrived in Paris earlier this week. The USA 3x3 Instagram account posted a selfie of the women's team including Van Lith, Rhyne Howard, Cierra Burdick and three-time WNBA All-Star Dearica Hamby. The 5-foot-7 guard reposted the picture on her Instagram story with the caption:
"Bruvahs."
On June 5, USA 3x3 announced the 2024 Olympic roster, including Van Lith, Cierra Burdick, Rhyne Howard and Cameron Brink. However, after Brink suffered an ACL injury on June 19, Dearica Hamby was called up to replace her. Team USA will open their Olympics campaign against Germany on July 30. Here is the full schedule:
- July 30: vs. Germany | 11:30 AM ET
- July 31: vs. Azerbaijan | 3:30 PM ET
- August 1: vs. Australia | 7:00 AM ET
- August 1: vs. Spain | 3:30 PM ET
- August 2: vs. France | 7:00 AM ET
- August 2: vs. Canada | 12:00 PM ET
- August 3: vs. China | 1:05 PM ET
Hailey Van Lith shares her experience as she prepares for Olympics
Hailey Van Lith, a Wenatchee, Washington native, has garnered remarkable success playing 3x3 basketball for the US national team. At age 17, she won a gold medal at the 2019 FIBA 3x3 under-18 World Cup and for the senior team; she captured gold at the 2023 FIBA 3x3 World Cup.
"Playing for Team USA in the Olympics is the ultimate experience," Van Lith said Friday (per nola.com). "I never imagined I’d be a 3x3 Olympian, but God doesn’t make any mistakes. This was something that was planned... It’s the opportunity of a lifetime. You never know if this chance will come again, so I’m going to treat it like it’s the only one I’m going to get."
Van Lith, who spent a season at the LSU Tigers, said that she still gets love and support from LSU fans.
"They haven’t stopped supporting me, a lot of them," Van Lith said. "They’ve wished me well. It was all a positive experience. The fans were an amazing part of that school."
Van Lith joined Kim Mulkey's team in 2023, but after one season, she entered the transfer portal. She averaged 11.6 points, 3.6 assists and 2.4 rebounds per game with the Tigers.