It’s always wise to think carefully before making a big move, or you might find yourself in a mess like the Chicago Sky. Already grappling with a tough season, the Sky now face an additional challenge with the Hailey Van Lith situation.
Drafted as the eleventh pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, Van Lith was a surprising choice. Fans and analysts viewed her as a developmental prospect who would grow under Courtney Vandersloot’s guidance. However, midway through the season, the Sky took an unexpected and puzzling approach to her role.
The Chicago Sky Might Regret Picking Up Hailey Van Lith As Their No.11 Overall
The Sky is already dealing with a lot this season. They are already low on ammunition while missing their mainstay, Angel Reese. Now, as they acquired the No. 11 overall pick last year from the Minnesota Lynx, it came at a price. Due to the trade, the Sky would miss out on a first-round pick in the 2026 draft.
And this might be pretty devastating for the team. Van Lith’s minutes have been all over the place this season. Till now, the Sky rookie has been averaging a mere 4.0 points along with 1.6 assists. To make matters worse, Chicago is currently having a dismal record of 8-23. They have lost 10 of their last 11 games.
Hailey Van Lith has been drafted to the Sky with the No. 11 pick 👏
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 15, 2025
Reunited with Angel in Chicago 🔥 pic.twitter.com/WwvMJXU89h
Now, there’s a reason for the Van Lith trade’s blowup. The team was supposed to develop her and gradually make her come to terms with the WNBA. Unfortunately, their star point guard, Vandersloot, was injured early on in the season and ruled out. Such a setback messed up the plans, and soon, the Sky found themselves in deep waters. Meanwhile, addressing the situation, the 23-year-old had an honest confession to make.
Hailey Van Lith Speaks About Difficulty Adjusting To the Chicago Sky
Sky was the 2021 champion. Unfortunately, trying to replicate the feat, the Chicago outfit has faltered terribly. And to further complicate things, their handling of certain athletes has also been questionable. Speaking up about the same, the former LSU star commented on her changed role at Chicago.
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“I’ve never came off the bench in my career. And so learning how to change my mindset to be able to do that and still be myself and still impact the team and help the team win, and like the different ways that I can contribute to culture and winning habits that don’t necessarily mean that I’m always on the floor. So it’s still going on. I’m still going through the process,” Hailey Van Lith told Renee Montgomery (Via YT/Bleacher Report).
Things are looking utterly complicated at the moment. With the playoffs hope fading, the Sky would like to concentrate on the next season. Even then, a lack of first-round pick eligibility will bother them significantly. Thus, with tensions building, fans cannot wait to see what happens next.