Hailey Van Lith Secures Development Contract with Connecticut Sun Following Release

HARTFORD, CT — Hailey Van Lith, the former No. 11 overall draft pick, has officially signed a developmental contract with the Connecticut Sun, as confirmed in a recent team announcement on May 30. Specific terms of the agreement remain undisclosed in accordance with team policy.

Van Lith's signing comes after her brief stint with the team, having been waived by the Chicago Sky earlier. She was released on Thursday when the Sun activated guard Leïla Lacan, who had been on a suspended contract due to her commitments overseas. Lacan, who returned from playing in France, made her season debut against the Los Angeles Sparks, having recently claimed a championship title and MVP honors in the La Boulangère Wonderligue.

During her time with the Sun, Van Lith participated in nine games, starting in three of them. In those appearances, she averaged 8.1 points, with an impressive shooting percentage of 49.2%, along with 2.2 assists and 1.1 rebounds in roughly 17.6 minutes per game. One of her standout performances occurred on May 15 against the Las Vegas Aces, where she scored 17 points at a remarkable 63.6% shooting rate and contributed four assists.

The 5-foot-9 guard previously played her rookie season with the Chicago Sky, featuring in 29 games and averaging 3.5 points, 1.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists. Before her time in Chicago, Van Lith started her collegiate career at Louisville, later transferring to LSU to play under coach Kim Mulkey, and finishing at TCU. Throughout her college career, she averaged 15.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game.