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The Chicago Sky selected Hailey Van Lith with the No. 11 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft. Most WNBA fans understood that Van Lith was likely going to have to work especially hard to earn a starting spot in a backcourt that features Courtney Vandersloot and Ariel Atkins. The expectation among most people who follow the league was that Van Lith would begin the season on the bench. However, ESPN doesn’t see it that way.
Expecting Van Lith to start the season on the bench isn’t a negative prediction. Chicago features experienced players who the former TCU guard can learn from. In a recent article, though, ESPN predicted that Van Lith will start to begin the ’25 campaign.
The Worldwide Leader in Sports lists Van Lith, Rachel Banham, Michaela Onyenwere, Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso as the “projected starting lineup” for the Sky. The idea of having both Atkins and Vandersloot coming off the bench seems unfathomable — and that’s because it is.
It’s difficult to envision a world where Van Lith and Banham start over Vandersloot and Atkins. ESPN is clearly extremely high on Van Lith’s potential in her first campaign. They also clearly believe the Sky share a similar sentiment.
“In drafting Hailey Van Lith with the 11th pick in this year’s draft, the Sky have the potential pieces to build a versatile scoring-rebounding triple threat,” the ESPN article reads. “And adding Courtney Vandersloot back into the mix gives them a reliable veteran ball handler and scorer.”
The fact that Vandersloot was even mentioned yet isn’t projected to be a starter is shocking. Sure, Vandersloot is 36 years old now and she isn’t the same player she once was. 2024 was a down year for her. However, if Vandersloot can start 31 games for the WNBA champion New York Liberty, why wouldn’t she start for the Sky?
In an effort to further boost their guard talent alongside Reese and Cardoso in the post, the Sky added Atkins this past offseason as well. The 28-year-old, a two-time All-Star, started all 40 games for the Washington Mystics last year. She recorded 14.9 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists per outing as well.
Yet, ESPN is saying the No. 11 pick in the draft is going to start over Atkins? Look, we can agree to disagree, but unless Van Lith has an exceptional preseason while the other players struggle, she is probably going to begin the new campaign on the bench.
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