While Hailey Van Lith's stint with the Chicago Sky ended sooner than expected, she is not done living up to her potential in the WNBA just yet.

Just days after the Sky waived her contract, the Connecticut Sun acquired the point guard's services on May 6, sources told ESPN's Alexa Philippou and Kendra Andrews.

Hailey Van Lith joins the youth movement in Connecticut and reunites with Sun president Jen Rizzotti, who coached her on USA 3x3 basketball teams, including at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

The Sky originally selected Van Lith as the No.11 pick in last year's WNBA draft after a standout collegiate career at LSU, TCU, and Louisville.

Utilized her final year of eligibility with the Horned Frogs. She had a historic season, being named the Big 12 Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year while leading TCU to its first-ever Big 12 regular season and tournament titles.

However, Van Lith was unable to carry that momentum to the Sky, as she averaged only 3.5 points in 12.4 minutes during her rookie campaign and was limited to 29 games due to an ankle injury.

Now, the 24-year-old is all set to embark on a new journey in the WNBA after spending the summer rehabbing, according to ESPN's sources.

But the Sun have their own issues to deal with after a miserable season in which they finished with an 11–33 record, and they are also preparing to relocate outside of Connecticut.

The Sun provides a developmental environment where Van Lith can earn minutes and gain experience.

While the Sky already moved on from Van Lith with the signing of Natasha Cloud to a one-year deal, the 24-year-old had a good start to her preseason, averaging 12.5 points and 4.5 assists.

The Sun claimed Hailey Van Lith immediately after her waiver, showcasing the league’s interest in her. Meanwhile, one of the team’s biggest stars quickly welcomed her to the organization.

Brittney Griner Welcomes Hailey Van Lith to the Connecticut Sun

Following the Sun's claiming Van Lith off waivers, the Sun's veteran center, Brittney Griner, did not take long to post a public message showing excitement about the addition.

“HVL 💪🏾🔥. CT young and turnt for real 🤣 I love it 🔥,” Griner wrote on Threads.

Van Lith was naturally excited about finding a team and moving to the Sun as well. After Connecticut shared the announcement on Instagram, she reposted it to her story and added her own reaction: “Oh, we love the Sun over here.”

Hailey Van Lith would now definitely be breathing a sigh of relief after what was a difficult week professionally.

With the former All-American and Big 12 Player of the Year added to the squad, Connecticut has four rookies (not including Ashlon Jackson, whom the Sun signed to a developmental contract) and four second-year players in training camp heading into Thursday's final roster cutdown day.

The Sun will open their WNBA season against the New York Liberty at Barclays Center on May 9, and we could very well be seeing Hailey Van Lith's first appearance with the Sun.

So, do you think the Connecticut Sun will be a better atmosphere for Hailey Van Lith to thrive in?

Written by

Joy Bassy

Edited by

Utsav Gupta