Hailey Van Lith arrived in the WNBA as one of the most experienced prospects in recent memory. After spending her college years in Louisville, LSU and TCU, she was selected by the Chicago Sky with the 11th overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft.
The move reunited her with former LSU teammate Angel Reese and the expectation was that the talented guard would grow into a meaningful role in her second season. Unfortunately for Van Lith, that opportunity will not come in Chicago.
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The Sky waived Van Lith on Monday, just days before the 2026 WNBA season tips off. General manager Jeff Pagliocca cited a “style-of-play preference” conflict between Van Lith and the coaching staff as the reason behind the move. The decision also came alongside the signing of veteran guard Natasha Cloud to a $555,000 contract.
Former Chicago Sky guard Hailey Van Lith (2) looks on during a game.Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images
Two days after receiving the news, Van Lith took to her Instagram stories to respond gracefully, thanking the Sky organization and fanbase for the experience and wishing them well.
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“Thank you Chicago 🩵💛,” Van Lith wrote on Wednesday. “To the city that drafted me and the fans who showed up every night 👆🏻Chicago you’ll always be where my WNBA story began… Grateful to my teammates, the fans, and the entire organization for being the first chapter of my journey. The journey continues.”
After averaging 17.9 points and 5.4 assists in her final season at TCU, Van Lith appeared in 29 games off the bench, averaging 3.5 points, 1.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists in her rookie season.
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Per ESPN’s Kendra Andrews, multiple teams have already reached out about potential opportunities following the waiver. Both expansion franchises, the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo, are among those viewed as natural landing spots.
After clearing waivers, teams have a 48-hour window to add her before the season-opening deadline.
Update: At 5:08 pm ET, the Connecticut Sun announced they have claimed Hailey Van Lith off waivers.
Related: WNBA Reacts to Angel Reese’s Actions After Beating Chicago Sky
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on May 6, 2026, where it first appeared in the WNBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.