This is the current status of LSU basketball’s roster following the departures of Angel Reese and Hailey Van Lith.
The LSU women’s basketball team is heading into a significant offseason as coach Kim Mulkey seeks to fill the void left by several key players.
Angel Reese has announced her decision to enter the WNBA draft, while Hailey Van Lith has entered the transfer portal. Together, Reese and Van Lith contributed significantly to the team’s performance, averaging a combined 30.2 points, 15.8 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game last season.
Reese, who earned the SEC Player of the Year award in her final season with LSU, played a pivotal role in the team’s national championship run and was named the player of the tournament. Van Lith, although she struggled to find her rhythm at LSU, started 33 games for the Tigers.
The current roster features nine returning players, including standout performers Flau’jae Johnson, Mikaylah Williams, and Aneesah Morrow. Johnson, the SEC Freshman of the Year in 2023, averaged 14.9 points per game last season and excelled with 20.5 points per game during the NCAA tournament. Williams, the reigning SEC Freshman of the Year, averaged 14.5 points per game and notably scored 18 points in LSU’s Elite Eight loss to Iowa. Morrow, an All-American, trailed only Reese in points and rebounds per game for LSU.
Additionally, new recruits Jada Richard and Jersey Wolfenbarger will join Mulkey’s team. Richard, the No. 1 player in Louisiana for the 2024 recruiting class, brings promising talent, while Wolfenbarger, a former five-star recruit transferring from Arkansas, is expected to add size and perimeter skills to the team.
With 11 scholarship players on the roster, LSU has the flexibility to add more players if needed. Mulkey is reportedly considering several transfer options, including Clemson guard Ruby Whitehorn and Michigan State guard DeeDee Hagemann, both of whom are expected to visit Baton Rouge. Whitehorn, known for her scoring and rebounding abilities, earned ACC All-Freshman Team honors, while Hagemann, a senior, boasts a strong track record with 72 career starts for Michigan State and second-team All-Big Ten honors.
