Hailey Van Lith Finds Another Landing Spot After Being Cut Twice This Month

The month of May has been rough for WNBA guard Hailey Van Lith.

The former 11th overall pick has been cut twice in the last four weeks - once by the Chicago Sky, the team that drafted her, and once by the Connecticut Sun, who signed her shortly after parting ways with the Sky.

But that didn't stop Van Lith from finding another landing spot shortly after the Sun let her go.

"Breaking: 2025 No. 11 overall pick Hailey Van Lith will be re-joining the Connecticut Sun on a developmental contract, sources told me and @kendra__andrews," ESPN's Alexa Philippou posted on X. "While there were other opportunities available to her, according to sources, Van Lith feels that staying in Connecticut right now is the best fit both for her immediate development and her long-term goals."

Van Lith played sparingly as a rookie with Chicago. She averaged 3.5 points, 1.6 assists, and 1.1 rebounds in 29 games. Many believed the Sky drafted Van Lith as a favor to former star Angel Reese, who was traded to the Atlanta Dream during the offseason.

But Van Lith clearly feels at home in Connecticut, choosing to go back to the Sun over offers from other teams. In nine games with the team, Van Lith is averaging 8.1 points, 2.2 assists, and 1.1 rebounds per contest.

She's the third-leading scorer on the team behind Brittney Griner (15 points per game) and 2025 first-round pick Aneesah Morrow (11.4 points per game). If Van Lith can stick in Connecticut, she could carve out a solid role for herself as a tertiary scoring option.

Some considered Van Lith a potential steal at 11 last year given her storied college career.

The 24-year-old guard was a WBCA All-American and an AP third-team All-American last season while being named the Big 12 Player of the Year, the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, and a first-team All-Big 12 selection while also winning Big 12 Tournament MOP at TCU.

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This story was originally published May 30, 2026 at 6:17 PM.