LSU guard Hailey Van Lith passionately defended her team on Sunday in response to a Los Angeles Times column that labeled the players as “dirty debutantes.” She expressed her frustration at the negative perception of her teammates, stating that such views are rooted in racism.
According to Van Lith, the team came across the commentary prior to their Sweet 16 game against UCLA on Saturday. She expressed her regret over reading it, as it can be disheartening to have someone make such negative remarks about them without knowing them personally.
“We have a significant number of Black women on our team, and regrettably, racial bias still persists today. Many individuals who make such comments are being racist towards my teammates,” stated Van Lith, who is white. “It’s interesting because when I engage in banter or talk trash, the response I receive is different compared to when Angel [Reese] engages in the same. I feel a responsibility to support my teammates and stand up for them. The article contained some profoundly disheartening and distressing words.”
“We shouldn’t be labeled as the ‘dirty debutantes’ as it has no relevance to our performance in sports. Such a label is demotivating. However, I believe that our team is perceived differently because we have many talented Black women who are confident and outspoken. Some people may have mixed feelings about it. Nevertheless, I support them wholeheartedly because they remain authentic and true to themselves. They have my full support.”
During the postgame press conference after LSU’s 78-69 win against UCLA, Tigers coach Kim Mulkey expressed her strong disapproval of a column that characterized the game as a “reckoning” between good and evil. Mulkey described the column as “sexist,” “awful,” and “wrong.”
Growing up in Wenatchee, Washington, Hailey Van Lith embarked on her basketball journey at the University of Louisville. After spending three years there, she decided to transfer to LSU for the most recent season. Van Lith observed the criticism directed towards the Tigers during their national championship run, especially regarding Cameron Brink. The attention intensified when Brink playfully pointed at her ring finger and mimicked John Cena’s iconic “You can’t see me” hand gesture, sweeping her hand across her face in the direction of Caitlin Clark.
During her prep days, Van Lith also witnessed a double standard, as she points out.
“I’ve witnessed it during my time at Louisville, and it’s been a recurring theme throughout my life,” Van Lith expressed. “Being one of the few white individuals on the team has given me a unique perspective. People who reside in homogeneous communities often believe that racism is a thing of the past, but I’ve personally witnessed and endured it. I’ve seen it affect my teammates and friends.”
When I return to my predominantly white hometown, I make sure to share my experiences with the community. In high school, there was an attempt to cancel the Martin Luther King Jr. assembly due to time constraints, even though there was always enough time for other holidays. Since our high school had a majority white population, no one seemed to have an issue with it. However, I felt it was my duty to speak up because I realized the importance of addressing such occurrences from my unique perspective.
Reese expresses that negative or outrageous remarks about them serve as motivation. This fuels their hunger to succeed and drives them to strive for even greater victories. Reese appreciates this aspect of their team and cherishes the experience of being part of LSU. They acknowledge that people will form their own opinions and make comments, but Reese chooses not to let it affect them. They maintain a nonchalant attitude towards others’ perceptions, as it doesn’t really matter to them.
The Los Angeles Times made changes to the column on Saturday, removing certain language including the reference to “dirty debutantes.” In a statement, the newspaper explained that these changes were made because the content did not meet their editorial standards. ESPN has sought a comment from the newspaper, but they have not yet received a response.
