Haley Van Lith’s Journey Takes a Surprising Turn

Haley Van Lith’s rocky beginning in the WNBA faced another unexpected twist on Thursday.

The Connecticut Sun decided to part ways with Van Lith after she played just nine games, which included three starts.

Once considered a shining star at the University of Louisville, her recent career seems to have hit some bumps. After a less-than-stellar time at LSU halted her momentum, she managed to regain some traction with an impressive final season at TCU.

Van Lith was drafted 11th overall by the Chicago Sky in 2024. However, she struggled to find her footing as a rookie, appearing in 29 games before being waived on May 4. During her time there, she averaged 3.5 points and 1.6 assists across about 12 minutes per game.

Connecticut offered her a second chance shortly after, but that reunion lasted barely two weeks. The team announced that “Layla Laquan has been activated by the Connecticut Sun,” which meant they also had to cut ties with Van Lith.

This decision came alongside Laquan’s return, who was drafted 10th in 2024 and previously averaged 10.4 points and 3.7 assists at UConn last season.

In her most recent game against Portland, Van Lith scored seven points, but had no assists and two turnovers in just 13 minutes of play.

Before moving to Connecticut, she averaged 8.1 points and 2.2 assists in her recent stint at UConn, finding herself on waivers for the second time in under a month.

Despite the struggles, Van Lith contributed to Team USA’s bronze medal win in 3×3 basketball at the 2024 Paris Olympics. It’s just unfortunate how quickly things have changed for her in the professional circuit.