Just a year after being selected by the Chicago Sky with the No. 11 overall choice, Hailey Van Lith was cut.
Due in significant part to injuries and a lack of playing time, the 24-year-old Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model had a disappointing first season in 2025.
On the eve of the 2026 season, which starts this weekend, the Sky have decided to dismiss Van Lith despite having played her in both of their WNBA preseason games.
A few days before the start of the new season, Chicago revealed on Monday afternoon that the former LSU guard had been dismissed. This was a huge setback for her.
Last season, Van Lith made 29 appearances off the bench, playing 12.4 minutes per game and shooting 33.9 percent from the field while averaging 3.5 points, 1.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists.
The 5’9″ rookie struggled to create the same kind of opportunities she had in college, shooting just 16.1% from 3-point range.
One year after being selected with the eleventh overall pick, Hailey Van Lith was cut by the Chicago Sky.
Due in large part to injury and a lack of playing time, the guard had a disappointing debut campaign.
Only in April 2025 did Chicago choose Van Lith in the first round of the WNBA Draft.
Van Lith did, however, show some promising indications in her two preseason games last month, scoring 25 points, dishing out nine assists, and pulling down two rebounds in 41 minutes.
Kendra Andrews of ESPN claims that Chicago’s “style of play preference” was the reason for her dismissal.
She is reportedly already in “active conversation” about a possible switch with several teams.
Van Lith played for Louisville for three seasons throughout her time in college before transferring to LSU in 2023.
She played one season at Baton Rouge with future Sky teammate Angel Reese before enrolling at TSU in 2024 and getting drafted the following year.
Van Lith averaged 17.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 5.4 assists for the Horned Frogs during her final NCAA campaign.
The SI model won Big 12 Player of the Year while she was in Texas, but her NCAA achievements have not yet translated to the major levels.
