If you’ve been scrolling through sports news lately, you’ve probably noticed that the landscape of women's basketball is moving at a breakneck pace. One second, a player is a college icon in the South, and the next, she’s a pro in the Midwest. If you’re trying to figure out what team is Hailey Van Lith on right now in early 2026, the answer has shifted from the college hardwoods to the professional bright lights of the WNBA.
Hailey Van Lith is currently a guard for the Chicago Sky.
After a collegiate journey that felt like a whirlwind tour of the most elite programs in the country, HVL finally made the jump to the pros. She was selected as the No. 11 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft. It was a massive moment that reunited her with a very familiar face—Angel Reese.
The Current Status: Chicago Sky and the 2026 Outlook
Honestly, her rookie season in 2025 was a bit of a "welcome to the league" experience. Transitioning from being the absolute focal point of a college offense to a role player in the WNBA isn't for the faint of heart. For the Sky, she appeared in 29 games last year, averaging about 3.5 points in 12.5 minutes per game.
Numbers like that don't tell the whole story, though.
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She had flashes of that old "Cashmere Flash" brilliance, like the 16-point outburst against the Connecticut Sun where she shot 75% from the field. Now, as we sit in January 2026, the big conversation isn't just about her roster spot—it’s about the WNBA Expansion Draft. With the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo entering the league this year, there has been a ton of chatter about whether Chicago will protect her or if she’ll end up heading to a new city to lead a fresh franchise.
How She Got Here: A Career of Constant Movement
To understand why people are always asking what team she's on, you have to look at her college "odyssey." Most players pick a school and stay there. Hailey? She went where the challenge—and the NIL opportunities—were the biggest.
- Louisville (2020–2023): This is where the legend started. She led the Cardinals to a Final Four and was basically the queen of the ACC. She was a scoring machine, averaging nearly 20 points a game in her final year there.
- LSU (2023–2024): The move that broke the internet. She joined Kim Mulkey and Angel Reese in Baton Rouge. It was a tough year, though. She played out of position at point guard, and while they made the Elite Eight, it wasn't the perfect fit everyone expected.
- TCU (2024–2025): For her final "COVID year," she moved to Fort Worth. This was her redemption arc. She became the Big 12 Player of the Year, averaged 17.9 points and 5.4 assists, and proved to WNBA scouts that she could still run an offense at an elite level.
Why the Chicago Re-pairing Matters
When the Sky took her at No. 11, the immediate headline was "The LSU Reunion." Seeing her and Angel Reese back in the same locker room was a dream for social media engagement, but it’s also been a fascinating locker room dynamic. They’ve gone from being teammates to professional coworkers trying to rebuild a Sky franchise that has seen its fair share of turnover recently.
Breaking Down Her Style of Play in 2026
Van Lith is only 5’7”, which is "small" by WNBA standards. But she plays like she’s 6’2”.
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Her game is built on a lethal mid-range jumper and a level of intensity that borderlines on scary. In the WNBA, she’s had to pivot. She’s no longer the girl taking 20 shots a night. Instead, she’s become a secondary playmaker and a defensive pest. If you watch a Sky game today, you’ll see her diving for loose balls and trying to navigate screens against much larger guards. It’s a gritty version of the player we saw at Louisville.
Real Talk: Is She Staying in Chicago?
There is a legitimate possibility that by the time the 2026 season tips off, the answer to what team is Hailey Van Lith on might change again. The expansion draft is the wild card. The Sky have a loaded roster with Reese, Kamilla Cardoso, and Chennedy Carter. If Chicago decides to protect their frontcourt stars, a team like the Portland Fire—closer to her home state of Washington—might snatch her up to be the face of their new franchise.
Key Takeaways for Fans
If you're following HVL's career right now, keep these specific points in mind:
- WNBA Status: She is officially under contract with the Chicago Sky heading into the 2026 cycle.
- Draft Pedigree: As a first-round pick (11th overall), she has a level of job security that many roster-fringe players don't.
- The 3x3 Factor: Don't forget she's an Olympic Bronze medalist in 3x3 basketball. That experience makes her incredibly dangerous in transition and one-on-one scenarios.
- The "HVL" Brand: Regardless of her PPG, she remains one of the most followed and influential athletes in the sport, which makes her valuable to any front office.
If you want to keep up with her games, the Sky typically play their home matches at Wintrust Arena. You can catch her highlights on the WNBA League Pass, where her "pick-and-roll" efficiency—which was top-tier during her TCU days—is starting to translate more consistently against pro defenses.
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To stay ahead of the curve, you should monitor the official WNBA Transactions wire throughout the next few weeks. The expansion draft results will be the definitive factor in whether she stays in Chicago or moves back West to Portland for the 2026 season. Check the Sky's official roster page or the WNBA app for the most "up-to-the-minute" changes as the pre-season approaches.