Hailey

Van Lith

While some on social media may have been surprised that the first-round pick did not start on Friday, it was expected. The Sky added veteran guard Courtney Vandersloot over the offseason, and she is the experienced hand this team needs to lead the way early on. There may come a point when Van Lith earns the role, but the focus for now is on learning what it takes to run a team at the WNBA level. HVL did not check in until the third quarter, which may be a sign that Vandersloot will be the starter when the regular season begins on May 17.

Van Lith, who had prior stops at Louisville and LSU, capped her five-year college career with an outstanding season at TCU. Helping head coach Mark Campbell revive a program that had fallen on hard times, the 5-foot-7 point guard earned Big 12 Player of the Year honors. Averaging 17.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.7 three-pointers per game, Van Lith was part of a team that won the program’s first-ever Big 12 regular season and tournament titles. Offensively, Van Lith tended to be at her best in the mid-range, and she also possessed a solid finishing package around the basket. However, she must improve on the defensive end of the floor. Van Lith will pair in Chicago with 2024 first-round pick Angel Reese, who she played with for one season at LSU. She’ll also have the opportunity to learn from WNBA veteran Courtney Vandersloot, who rejoined the Sky after winning a title with the Liberty last season.