Hailey Van Lith has been on a bit of a ride when it comes to basketball. The WNBA rookie, who made her Sports Illustrated Swimsuit debut on Tuesday, May 13, played for three universities (Louisville, LSU, and TCU) before graduating, before she was drafted as the No. 11 overall pick by the Chicago Sky in April.
Van Lith spoke to Sports Illustrated last month during the issue's shoot and revealed she's had to really nurture one mental skill more than most throughout her basketball career: the art of not caring what people think. "The biggest message that I would have to young girls who look up to me, whether that's basketball or life in general, would be that you're gonna have to conquer that hill of caring about what others think of you," she explained.
"A lot of our insecurities as women come from the root of caring about other people's perceptions. So the earlier that you address that and figure out what that means for you, the better off that you're going to be," Van Lith added.
Mental health is a major part of Hailey Van Lith's journey
This isn't the first time Van Lith has opened up about mental health and what it's taken for her to get to where she is now. After the Horned Frogs defeated the Louisville Cardinals in March, Van Lith alluded to struggling during her early collegiate years.
But these days, it seems like a lot of that is behind her. Van Lith praised the environment of the Sports Illustrated shoot, and noted she "had so much fun." The styling of the shoot was simultaneously soft and bright, and allowed Van Lith to embrace colors she's not often photographed in.
What's next for Hailey Van Lith and the Chicago Sky
With the beginning of the WNBA season looming, it's time for the Chicago Sky to truly lock in. The Sky has a lot to prove this season, and the addition of Van Lith to a team that's already brimming with young talent was a win, and now the Sky need to do everything they can to take the team to the next level.
Van Lith will benefit from being able to learn alongside veteran guard Courtney Vandersloot, who is poised to enjoy a strong bounce-back season of her own. Vandersloot, who was a key part of the New York Liberty's success last season, will play a bigger role on the younger Sky squad and will be the team's starting point guard.
Van Lith has also been reunited with former LSU teammate Angel Reese, and she's already cited Reese was one of the Sky's leaders — despite the fact that the two are the same age. Overall, it seems like being drafted by the Sky has given Van Lith the basketball home she's needed.
"It's a perfect environment for me to be successful so hopefully I can make an impact and be a part of a great program," Van Lith told WGN News this month — certainly exactly the words that all of her supporters want to hear.