Hailey Van Lith Shares 'Surprised' Reaction to Angel Reese Trade Before Sky vs Dream
While there were plenty of compelling free agency acquisitions during the WNBA offseason, the biggest splash in terms of star power changing teams was when the Chicago Sky traded star forward Angel Reese to the Atlanta Dream.
Given how Reese's second season in Chicago ended, it seemed clear to many that she and the Sky's franchise needed a fresh start away from each other. And while the outcome of this deal still remains to be seen in terms of how each team's on-court product will be impacted, Reese appears poised to thrive on the Dream's roster, and Chicago has re-tooled with several key free agency signings and trades.
Reese might not have been beloved by every one of her former Sky teammates. But she had a solid bond with guard Hailey Van Lith, who was a rookie in 2025 and whom Reese played with under Kim Mulkey at LSU during Reese's final college season.
Hailey Van Lith Opens Up About Reaction to Chicago Sky Trading Angel Reese
The Sky and the Dream are playing each other in the WNBA preseason on April 29. And since this contest is taking place in Chicago, Reese is now back in the city she's spent the past two years, less than a month after the Sky dealt her.
Van Lith spoke with the media on Wednesday morning and addressed Reese getting moved.
"Kind of like [Elizabeth Williams said], it was something that you saw, and you're surprised by. But also, it's the nature of the business. And everyone's allowed to pursue their own personal endeavors, and our team is allowed to pursue their endeavors, and players are allowed to pursue their endeavors," Van Lith said, per an X post from @ChiStateOfMind_.
"So it's a trade-off. And really, I hope the best for [Reese], and she deserves a place that she wants to be at, and it feels like that's a good environment for her. I'm really happy for her that she took that jump, and looking forward to competing and playing against her today," she added.
Hailey Van Lith on the Angel Reese trade.
— Chicago State of Mind Sports (@ChiStateOfMind_) April 29, 2026
"Kind of like E said, it was something that you're surprised by, but also like it's the nature of the business and everyone's allowed to pursue their own personal endeavors and our team is allowed to pursue their endeavors and players… pic.twitter.com/jdmfNG2SVM
It will be interesting to see whether Van Lith can carve out a role for herself in Chicago this season, given that the team has more depth at guard than it had last year. It will also be interesting to see whether Reese is playing with any added emotion on Wednesday, or whether it's all business as usual for the star forward.
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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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