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The Chicago Sky have a decision to make on Hailey Van Lith already.
In most offseasons, that wouldn’t be true for a first-round pick still on her rookie contract. But this offseason will have an expansion draft for the new teams in Toronto and Portland.
ESPN reports that WNBA teams are expected to be able to protect five players from the expansion draft. A lot of players are hitting free agency, so that narrows down the decision-making. But Van Lith is still on the brink.
In the end, ESPN’s Kevin Pelton has listed Van Lith as the fifth and final player the Sky will protect. But he sees her being the final choice, one that could go the other way.
“With much of the roster headed toward unrestricted free agency, the Sky realistically are picking between 2025 draft picks Van Lith and (Maddy) Westbeld for their lost spot,” Pelton writes. “Although Van Lith struggled as a rookie, shooting 5-of-31 (16%) on 3s, her draft position as a first-round pick in April probably still gives her the nod over Westbeld.”
HVL was reunited in Chicago with her former LSU teammate, Angel Reese.
The Sky didn’t have a big role to give Van Lith as a rookie, so she had to figure out how to make contributions without ever really finding a rhythm.
Because of her name value and her relative youth, Van Lith would probably be a popular target in the expansion draft if she was left unprotected.
Chicago obviously has better insight into Van Lith’s future than other teams, given the Sky get to see her every day in their building during workouts and practices.
If the Sky protect Van Lith, it’s a good sign for her WNBA outlook. If they leave her unprotected, though, it might be a signal that HVL’s WNBA journey will be a challenge.
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