Women's Fastbreak On SI

Hailey Van Lith Gets Honest About Chicago Sky WNBA Draft Desire

Hailey Van Lith spoke about whether she wanted to get drafted by the Chicago Sky during her introductory press conference.
Grant Young|
Apr 14, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Hailey Van Lith on the orange carpet before the 2025 WNBA Draft at The Shed at Hudson Yards. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Apr 14, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Hailey Van Lith on the orange carpet before the 2025 WNBA Draft at The Shed at Hudson Yards. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The Chicago Sky drafted former TCU Horned Frogs star guard Hailey Van Lith with the No. 11 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft.

There was a lot of speculation about who the Sky would select with both the No. 11 and the No. 10 pick, where they took Slovenian forward Ajša Sivka. Given that Chicago prioritized upgrading their frontcourt during the 2024 WNBA Draft, which they accomplished in a major way by drafting Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese (who both saw success as rookies), emphasizing outside shooting and versatile guard play made sense for Chicago in the 2025 draft.

Nobody can deny that Van Lith is a gritty, hard-nosed player who has persevered through a ton of adversity, both on and off the court, during her NCAA career. Not to mention that she was teammates with Angel Reese at LSU for one season.

Despite the narrative that some fans are trying to convey, Van Lith explained why she wanted to come to Chicago during her introductory press conference on April 17.

"I had a few great conversations [with the Sky's front office before the WNBA draft], Van Lith said, per an X post from @lilly__lover. "Deep in my heart, I wanted to come to the Sky. I felt like just with the two quick conversations that I had, I felt a ton of alignment, and I felt like they saw who I was as a player. And I felt valued.

"I was hoping that I was available when Chicago's pick 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 this is where I'd end up," she continued.

Van Lith's (and Angel Reese's) wish was granted.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.

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