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Hailey Van Lith Relays Wounds Suffered From Chicago Sky Teammate Competition

Chicago Sky rookie Hailey Van Lith has scratched and clawed her way (literally) through her team's WNBA training camp.
May 6, 2025; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Sky guard Hailey Van Lith (2) looks on during the first half of a WNBA pre-season game against the Minnesota Lynx at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
May 6, 2025; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Sky guard Hailey Van Lith (2) looks on during the first half of a WNBA pre-season game against the Minnesota Lynx at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

When Chicago Sky superstar Angel Reese spoke with the media on May 12, she shared the recruiting pitch she made to GM Jeff Pagliocca on behalf of her former LSU teammate Hailey Van Lith.

"I told [Sky GM] Jeff [Pagliocca] during the draft process, I was like 'If you want a dog, go get Hailey.' And I kept telling him that," Reese said, per an X post from the Chicago Sports Network.

"And you can see her grit, you can see how hard she works, she's one of the first to get in the gym and one of the last to leave."

Van Lith had to scratch and claw her way to the WNBA after a rollercoaster four seasons spent in college, which consisted of her playing with Louisville, LSU, and then TCU. And it seems that the scratching and clawing have continued once she reached the Sky, which Chicago Tribune reporter Julia Poe relayed during a recent episode of the CHGO Bulls Podcast.

"Second day of training camp, I sit down to talk with Hailey, and I'm like, 'How's training camp? Are you a little banged up?' And she goes, 'Well, Kia Nurse has scratch marks from here to here on her neck right now,'" Poe said, per an X post from CHGO Sky.

Poe then quoted Van Lith saying, "'But look at this'. Pulls her jersey up, she's got like scratch marks on her torso, she's got bruises all the way down her legs, she's like pointing all of them out like little souvenirs. And I'm like, 'Oh, okay. So you're having a great time?' And [Hailey] looks back at me, she goes, 'Yeah.'"

It sounds like Van Lith is bearing her bruises and scratches from Sky training camp with pride.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers women’s basketball for Women’s Fastbreak and Indiana Fever On SI. His coverage centers on league trends and the growth of women’s basketball, both on and off the court. He also creates digital content focused on the sport’s biggest moments and personalities.

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