In an interesting 51-minute interview with Bleacher Report, college basketball player Hailey Van Lith addressed numerous topics related to her own game; her transfer from Louisville to LSU; inspiration, confidence; and being part of the USA Basketball 3×3 team that won gold at the World Cup earlier this month. In the closing minutes, interviewer Taylor Rooks asked Van Lith about a gesture that Iowa’s Caitlin Clark made during her team’s semi-final win over Van Lith’s team in this year’s Final Four.
Instead of saying the “You can’t see me” hand gesture was misinterpreted, Van Lith chose to say, “The media is dumb. They just make stuff up.”
Yet again, I ask myself why I and other journalists have made such an effort to cover women’s sports when many athletes express disdain for the media.
It would be easy to write this off if Van Lith was a student-athlete with little insight or self-awareness, but after watching the interview in its entirety, I have to say she displayed thoughtfulness and made excellent points about the growth and development of women’s college basketball, her reasons for transferring to LSU, having self-confidence, and the emerging opportunities for female athletes. So why would someone who gives such careful thought to a diverse range of subjects dismiss people who have helped propel the women’s game over the past two decades?
I understand and share the frustration about the media cherry-picking certain narratives and running with them. That lack of attention to detail is obvious in how several media outlets have covered this specific comment. Would Hailey Van Lith like to be summarily dismissed? It’s not like women’s basketball players haven’t been maligned and denigrated in the media while a small cadre of journalists and publications—this newspaper included—have fought to uplift them.
I don’t know any journalists who “make stuff up.” Some frustrate me in how they choose to tell a story, but that’s part of coverage. I’ll leave the closing remarks to Rooks, who, while laughing a bit at Van Lith’s observation, also gave her a reality check.
“Women’s basketball should have these moments,” said Rooks. “It should be about what happens on the court. It should be about personalities. At times, it should be about drama. That’s what makes sports fun.”
Here’s to more fun, more great coverage of women’s sports, and more diverse viewpoints. Here’s to Van Lith showing others the respect she wants for the game.