Chicago Sky Make Surprising Hailey Van Lith Move Days Before WNBA Season

The Chicago Sky made several major changes this offseason and have assembled a strong roster heading into their season opener on Saturday against the Portland Fire.

However, that roster now does not include No. 11 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, Hailey Van Lith, as the Sky officially waived her on Monday afternoon in a surprising move.

According to ESPN's Kendra Andrews, the decision was based on the Sky's "style of play preference," and Van Lith is already in active conversations with several other teams, as she is expected to be an intriguing option for organizations looking to add to their roster before the season begins.

More news: Liberty Star Sabrina Ionescu Might Be Unavailable to Start WNBA Season

More news: Azzi Fudd May Face WNBA Fine for Latest Comments

Van Lith struggled to find an everyday role with the Sky throughout her rookie season, averaging 12.4 minutes per game along with 3.5 points, 1.6 assists, and 1.1 rebounds.

However, in her two preseason appearances with Chicago leading into the new season, she averaged 12.5 points and 4.5 assists, showing noticeable improvement and suggesting a strong step forward from year one to year two.

In a corresponding move after waiving Van Lith, the Sky signed guard Natasha Cloud to a roster that has been significantly revamped with several proven players, including Skylar Diggins-Smith, DiJonai Carrington, Jacy Sheldon, Rickea Jackson, and Azura Stevens.

More news: The Golden State Valkyries' Baffling Flau'jae Johnson Trade Just Got Worse

2026 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.

This story was originally published May 4, 2026 at 11:58 AM.