Basketball fans, it’s possible that we may have a potential romance on our hands. Hailey Van Lith, playing for TCU and a likely top pick in this year’s WNBA draft, has made numerous headlines this year. From being named the Big 12’s player of the year to TCU’s impressive March Madness run, she’s certainly a name to watch out for in the coming years. And now, she might be one half of basketball’s next power couple. Van Lith and Jalen Suggs have been rumored to be dating since 2021, but are they? (Her Campus reached out to Van Lith and Suggs’s teams for comment but didn’t hear back by the time of publication.)
Suggs is a point guard for the Orlando Magic and, like Van Lith, he stood out during his college basketball career. With many impressive moments playing for Gonzaga, Suggs was drafted as the fifth overall NBA pick in 2021. Unfortunately, Suggs is currently out for the season due to knee injury.
But what has motivated all of these rumors? Both Van Lith and Suggs stay quite private on social media and have not made the relationship Instagram official. However, there have been some moments that have fans questioning if their relationship is something more. For instance, after Van Lith’s three-pointer against Notre Dame on March 29, Suggs was spotted cheering with Van Lith’s dad in the stands. In fact, Van Lith’s dad went down the stands and met Suggs in his seat, and the two shared a handshake and a chest bump in a video that has now gone viral online. If that isn’t boyfriend material, I don’t know what is.
Also during TCU’s March Madness run, Suggs posted a video in a Van Lith jersey saying: “You know who I’m repping.” He was in the stands with his jersey for TCU’s game against the Texas Longhorns, which ended TCU’s chances at a final four spot. This video goes against the more private relationship they’ve cultivated and is honestly one of the cutest things I’ve seen all week.
The couple has been rumored since Suggs posted a photo of them before his draft in 2021 with the caption: “Yea, we solid on this end.” However, the picture was posted to an account that no longer exists, meaning both the stars’ Instagrams don’t feature one another. In 2021, there was also a video of the two playing in a three-pointer competition, which Van Lith reportedly won. I can’t lie, the fist bump between the two of them is iconic. But beyond those posts, the two have kept their possible relationship very private.
From the content we have, it appears that the two are happy and fulfilled in their personal careers. However, Suggs going viral with Van Lith’s dad and the video of him in her jersey may point towards the relationship going more public soon — especially in anticipation of the WNBA draft on April 14. I mean, can you imagine a better duo than an NBA and WNBA relationship?