“Kobe Bryant handed me these”: Hailey Van Lith once gave an exclusive tour of her exciting sneaker collection

Hailey Van Lith debuted for TCU after being transferred from LSU. She stepped into TCU’s lineup and scored 21 points, dishing out seven assists and pulling down five rebounds while shooting 43% from the floor.

Van Lith’s basketball journey was carried on with the mentality she learned from Kobe Bryant. The legendary player has inspired her approach on and off the court, as she revealed in a January 2020 interview with Overtime.

In that interview, Van Lith showed off a pair of shoes from her collection, saying:

“So, these are the Kobe BMs. These are the first shoes that he gave me when I met him. So, these are probably one of my favorites. Kobe Bryant literally handed me these.”

Van Lith represented Team USA in the 3x3 basketball tournament. However, she didn’t secure a national title at LSU or a gold medal with Team USA. She helped her team secure a bronze medal after a 16-13 win over Canada.

Van Lith’s contribution in the final minutes made the team score six points as she shot a 5-7 from the field. After the bronze medal win, she shared a virtual moment with her family.

Hailey Van Lith follows Kobe Bryant's strategies

Reflecting on this game, Hailey Van Lith shared that Bryant’s mindset motivated her through tough moments.

“I think Kobe would be proud as heck of me for not letting us lose that last game,” she said. "Kobe failed more than he succeeded."

She added, “Sometimes you can’t control the outcomes like that last game. I’m not gonna lie, it was tough. It was a tough situation for us to win it, and we just didn’t sulk in it. That’s the Kobe mentality. It’s like, ‘F it,’ go out and win the next game.”

Earlier in 2024, Van Lith faced criticism after LSU’s tough loss to Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes in a game. That's where her visible frustration, the reverse MJ shrug, quickly went viral. In that matchup, Clark repeatedly challenged Van Lith one-on-one.

Hailey Van Lith has earned recognition as a top contender for two of college basketball’s most prestigious national Player of the Year awards. On Thursday, Van Lith was named to the John R. Wooden Award Preseason Watch List, making her one of 50 players identified as candidates for the honor.

In October, Van Lith also landed on the Naismith Trophy preseason watch list. Across her five years in college, she has consistently garnered national Player of the Year consideration.

Van Lith also leads all Division I players in career games played with 135. Nationally, she ranks sixth and is second in the Big 12 for career points scored, boasting 1,957 points. TCU and Van Lith are now gearing up for Sunday’s game against New Orleans.