© Zach Boyden-Holmes/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK
Hailey Van Lith will link back up with a former LSU teammate in the WNBA. The veteran guard was selected in the first round of Monday night’s draft by the Chicago Sky.
Angel Reese took note of that selection with a post on social media. She seems excited to run it back following a failed first attempt.
As a college star, Van Lith transferred to Baton Rouge after spending three seasons at Louisville. The Tigers became an immediate national title frontrunner after bringing home the hardware the year prior. That wouldn’t be the case.
Head coach Kim Mulkey did her best to push HVL into a true point guard role after three seasons as a shooter with the Cardinals. It did not work. Van Lith experienced a significant scoring dip in what was her worst college campaign. Her struggles often led to frustrations from both the senior and her teammates.
Hailey Van Lith was visibly upset on multiple occasions throughout the year. The same was true for other LSU players. Off-court drama only made the situation worse. Angel Reese broke down the distant relationship between Van Lith and teammates amid her struggles.
“We weren’t super close, but I was probably one of the closer people with her on the team. I think she was really distant from everybody else, so I kinda felt bad. So, I was like, ‘Let me get closer to her and see who she is,’ because she was the only white girl on the team.
“I didn’t want her to feel uncomfortable. I wanted her to feel as comfortable as she could.”
LSU finished the season 31-6. They lost in the Elite Eight to Iowa. Van Lith hit the road soon after.
Hailey Van Lith and Angel Reese will run it back.
Van Lith ended up at TCU, which she called one of the best decisions of her life. She was able to rediscover happiness after being in a dark place.
With the Horned Frogs, she returned to stardom. The guard earned AP All-America honors after scoring 17.9 points per game. She set career-highs in assists and rebounds. It resulted in an 11th overall WNBA Draft selection.
With the 11th pick of the 2025 WNBA Draft, we select Hailey Van Lith.
Welcome to Skytown, Hailey! pic.twitter.com/aF9VcyoGtM
— Chicago Sky (@chicagosky) April 15, 2025
Angel Reese commented on that pick after the fact. She’s ready for the future following that previous stint.
We ain’t do it right the first time. Let’s run it backkkkk.
-Angel Reese on X
Reese finished runner-up in the Rookie of the Year voting last year. She’s hoping the addition of HVL can help the Sky reach the postseason. The forward admitted to a failed first go-round as college teammates. She’s looking to rewrite the narrative in the WNBA.