The Hailey Van Lith basketball trip was a series of ups and downs, and she reached a new summit on Monday when she was selected by the Chicago Sky With the overall choice n ° 11 in the draft of the WNBA 2025.
The moment, which was in doubt seriously this time a year ago after a disastrous season in the LSU, was long for the All-American. It took immense amounts of hard work, On and off the fieldAnd stops at the stands in Paris and Fort Worth, so that Van Lith recovers to be a first round choice.
“The Lord put me in situations that I had to live to grow as a basketball player and being human, and it is not something that I was crazy,” said Van Lith on Monday evening. “I accepted this. I worked it with my sports psychologist. We understood together, like Hey, this is something where you can grow. This is an experience you should adopt. You should run to that.
“It shows someone who really believes in themselves, and at the end of the day, the next level was all that believed it. If I can wear this at the upper level, I think I am preparing for success.”
WNBA draft grades, results: Paige Bueckers goes n ° 1 on the wings, Hailey van lith to fill the point of view of Sky
Jack Maloney
Van Lith, Angel Reese to meet in Chicago
Van Lith will join a Sky team that hopes to go to the next stage of its reconstruction, which started last year with Kamilla Cardoso And Angel Reese. The sky also added the Slovenian striker Ajša Sivka to No. 10 in this year’s draft to accompany a certain number of acquisitions of veterans this offseason, in particular Ariel Atkins And Courtney Vandersloot.
These two veterans, in particular Vandersloot, will provide a plan for Van Lith, which has always been able to put the ball in the basket and is well improved as a playmaker.
The arrival of Van Lith in Chicago will also give him a chance to find the former LSU teammate, Angel Reese. Their lonely season together in Baton Rough did not end well, especially for Van Lith, but the two have stayed in contact since then. After learning that she was heading for Chicago, Van Lith said that she and Reese had mutual respect for the game and the character of each other.
“Most of the time, I’m just excited to be around her again,” said Van Lith. “I think we have a lot of similarities on how we transport ourselves and our state of mind on what is important for us. He’s a dog, guy. She presents herself to the intensity of everyone around her.
“I am delighted to be again in this environment with her where she can withdraw more from me than I think.”
The feeling is mutual.
“We don’t do it the first time properly”, ” Reese wrote On social networks after the sky, Van Lith. “Let’s get it backkkkk.”
How does Van Lith adapt to the pro level?
Questions remain about Van Lith’s ability to make the transition to the WNBA because of its size (it measures 5 feet 9 inch, at best), defensive limitations and an inconsistent external shooting. She is a fierce competitor, however, and won wherever she left.
Looking at the table of depth of the sky, there is a path for Van Lith to be their playmaker of the future.
“First and foremost, I want to bring tenacity, resilience,” said Van Lith. “Whatever my role, whatever my opportunities, I think I just want to contribute to the culture of difficult, altruistic and workers that I think they are trying to join the program.
“This is what I try to bring. It is more an attitude, a state of mind than anything else, and I think that I am more than capable of doing it.”