Audio By Carbonatix
Hailey Van Lith is a fantastic player in her own right but, unfortunately, one of the most iconic moments of her college basketball career was at the mercy of Caitlin Clark. The reigning Rookie of the Year in the WNBA left the newest member of the Chicago Sky completely baffled during the Elite Eight of March Madness.
It is becoming a recurring theme throughout Clark’s career. Nobody knows how to stop her!
Both Van Lith and Angel Reese tried their best to stop the greatest scorer in college basketball history during LSU’s instant classic against Iowa in 2024. Neither player could do so. They were both caught — at different moments — with their arms raised out to the side, palms up, in a completely baffled shrug as if to say “what else can I do?” after Clark scored a ridiculous bucket.
The HVL shrug has since become a meme.
Although Van Lith’s shrug is the most (in)famous, she is not the only player or coach to end up in that exact position, wondering how to stop No. 22. The head coach of Team Brazil could not believe Clark shot and made a logo three-pointer during their WNBA preseason exhibition game last week. He, like Van Lith and Reese, could only shrug out of bewilderment.
The same thing happened at practice on Wednesday. Caitlin Clark took the ball from Aliyah Boston in the corner and somehow contorted her body to knock down a ridiculous fadeaway triple right at the buzzer.
The WNBA practice player who was tasked with guarding the biggest star in league history, just like Van Lith, Reese and the Brazilian head coach, could not believe she made the shot. He also shrugged!
That is at least four shrugs in total. I’d have to go back and watch the tape but I would imagine the real number is closer to seven or eight. That total will only increase over the next few years. Caitlin Clark makes people shrug. It’s what she does.