How well will TCU guard Hailey Van Lith fit with the Chicago Sky?
The newly-drafted guard is already showing off her passing skills during training camp. She already has an innate ability to find open players and kick out to them at the perimeter. Van Lith will need to continue sharpening her passing ability as training camp continues. She averaged 5.4 assists per game in her first and only year with the Horned Frogs. Chicago will have to find its playmakers of the future after ending last season with 19 assists per game, which put them near the bottom of the league and at their worst mark since 2016.
Who better to guide her in the right direction than Courtney Vandersloot?
Vandersloot, a veteran guard with more than a decade of experience in Chicago, will need to be a focal point for the Sky's offense as it looks to take its next step forward. The Sky veteran had high praise for Chicago's two training camp rookies. She highlighted Van Lith's competitiveness, which could be key in earning a place on the Sky's opening day roster and being the backup guard Chicago needs for the future.
"They both competed really well," Vandersloot said in a Sunday availability. "Maddy (Westbeld) tried really hard to find her fit. Hailey's a competitor. She competes hard. I think Day 2 will be better for them, but I see a lot of growth there."
Hailey Van Lith may be in the perfect place to succeed
Van Lith may be in the perfect place to blossom into a reliable guard in the W.
From getting downhill, to playmaking and setting others up to score, the 23-year-old guard seems to be in the right system to elevate her game. She added she can float to the shooting guard spot at times during a Monday interview with WGN News, which can make her an even bigger threat no matter who the Sky choose to go for in the 2026 WNBA Draft.
"I think it provides me a good opportunity to make an impact at any position that they could need me at," Van Lith said, via WGN. "Competitively, the type of energy that the girls have and the coaches have had, I align really well with the mindset. I think Chicago is a great fit for me."
With time, and some extra guidance, she can be the answer the Sky need at the point and be a fantastic fit alongside a newly-assembled young core.