The Sky’s season opener was not what the team had hoped for. Chicago was no match for the new-look Indiana Fever, losing the game 58-93. Even Angel Reese’s double-double with 12 points and 17 rebounds couldn’t save the Sky.
Despite the blowout, rookie Hailey Van Lith barely played. She didn’t even get to check into the game until the end of the last quarter and played only four minutes. The only other Sky player to see that little time on the court was Maddy Westbeld. In her four minutes on the court, Van Lith converted both of her field goal attempts and turned the ball over once.
It may have only been one game, but the Sky’s season opener offered fans a first glance at Van Lith’s role with the team.
Hailey Van Lith will have to fight for minutes with the Sky
Hailey Van Lith is the type of player the Sky could use. Her playmaking makes her a great potential backup for Courtney Vandersloot. She looked good in preseason, too, dishing out 13 assists over three games and converting three of her five attempts from beyond the arc.
Nevertheless, Van Lith was not a part of Tyler Marsh’s rotation in the season opener. One reason may be that Marsh wanted to rely on his veterans instead, utilizing players who have already proven that they can help their team win to try and put up a fight against a potential title contender.
The Sky want to be more competitive than they were last season. That means going to the playoffs. When that is your goal, relying on a rookie to play significant minutes can be tough, especially if two of your starters are just entering their second season.
So, Hailey Van Lith may be in-and-out of the rotation all season long, playing little against the top teams in the league and mostly seeing the court in games the Sky should be able to win.
Van Lith deserves a chance to claim minutes
Despite the Sky’s playoff aspirations, Hailey Van Lith deserves a chance to claim a more consistent role with the team. The Sky’s two cornerstones are Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso. Both are under the age of twenty-five, and the Sky will need other young players to develop alongside their two stars. As a guard, Van Lith could be one of those players.
Van Lith might not get a chance to prove herself for a while, though. The Sky’s next game is against the New York Liberty. The Liberty are the reigning champions and arguably the best team in the league. They just opened their season with a statement win over the Las Vegas Aces behind strong play from Breanna Stewart and Natasha Cloud.