Hailey Van Lith is staying with the Connecticut Sun on a developmental deal after being waived, choosing growth over other WNBA options.
Hailey Van Lith’s WNBA rookie season just took another sharp turn, but the former TCU star isn’t leaving Connecticut.
After being waived by the Connecticut Sun, Van Lith re-signed with the franchise Saturday on a developmental contract, keeping her in the building even after the roster math got tight.
The move came after the Sun activated guard Leïla Lacan, whose suspended contract had kept her away because of overseas commitments.
For Van Lith, the decision says plenty.
The former No. 11 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft reportedly had other options, but she chose Connecticut because she believes the Sun gives her the best path to grow right now and build toward the player she wants to become long term.
That’s not a small thing for a rookie trying to find footing in a league where roster spots disappear fast.
Van Lith began the season with the Chicago Sky, appearing in 29 games before being waived after Chicago added Natasha Cloud.
She then landed with Connecticut and made the most of her opportunity, playing nine games and starting three.
Her production was more than respectable.
Van Lith averaged 8.1 points, 2.2 assists and 1.1 rebounds per game while shooting 49 percent from the floor and an impressive 47 percent from 3-point range.
She also flashed real scoring punch, dropping a career-high 17 points with a season-best four assists in a 101-94 loss to the Las Vegas Aces.
That kind of efficiency is why this doesn’t feel like the end of anything. It feels more like a reset.
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Van Lith still has to prove she can stick in a permanent WNBA role, but staying with the Sun gives her a chance to keep learning the system, developing against pros and staying ready if another opportunity opens.
For a player with her confidence and shot-making, that next chance may not be far away.
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