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Hailey Van Lith, the No. 11 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, was initially listed as questionable for the Chicago Sky’s season opener against Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever on Saturday due to an ankle injury, but Sky coach Tyler Marsh provided a positive update prior to the game, upgrading her status to probable.
Van Lith seems to have tweaked her ankle at some point during practice this week, but it’s unclear exactly when the injury happened. The good news is that it does not appear to be a serious issue and is expected to be able to make her WNBA regular season debut in a marquee matchup.
During a solid preseason, Van Lith averaged six points and 4.3 assists in the back-up point guard role behind Courtney Vandersloot. And while the results don’t matter in said exhibition games, Van Lith’s go-ahead 3-pointer late in the Sky’s win over the Minnesota Lynx wa a very promising sign for the rookie.
After a strong start to her collegiate career with Louisville, Van Lith transferred to LSU for her senior season. While the Tigers went to the Elite Eight, she struggled to find her place in Baton Rouge, which left her draft prospects hanging by a thread. Instead of turning pro last year, Van Lith decided to use her extra year of eligibility and transferred again, this time to TCU.
WNBA Draft 2025: How TCU’s Hailey Van Lith went from afterthought to potential first-round pick
That turned out to be a wise move. Van Lith excelled in Mark Campbell’s spread pick-and-roll system, and helped the Horned Frogs reach the Elite Eight for the first time in program history. Notably, she showed real growth as a playmaker, which made her a much more viable pro prospect given her smalll stature (5-foot-9) and inconsistent jumpshot.
Sure enough, Van Lith wound up as a first-round pick, and has reunited with Angel Reese, whom she played with at LSU.
“I had a few great conversations [with the Sky’s front office]. Deep in my heart, I wanted to come to the Sky,” Van Lith said during training camp. “I felt a ton of alignment and I felt like they saw who I was as a player. And I felt valued, so I was hoping that I was available when Chicago’s picks came.
“You never want to put too much expectation or hope because you never know what will happen on draft day, but deep in my heart I was really hoping that.”
Van Lith’s wish came true, and now she’ll try to help the Sky get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2023.
