Chicago Sky Coach Makes Hailey Van Lith Statement Amid Criticism
Chicago Sky Coach Makes Hailey Van Lith Statement Amid Criticism originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Chicago Sky rookie Hailey Van Lith came under harsh criticism from WNBA legend Angel McCoughtry ahead of the Sky's game against the Phoenix Mercury on Saturday.
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After selecting Van Lith with the No. 11 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, Chicago is off to a 3-8 start.
She is averaging 5.2 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.3 assists in nine games played, but she has stepped into a bigger role since starting point guard Courtney Vandersloot went down with a season-ending knee injury.
McCoughtry's concerns were not about Van Lith's performance, but whether she deserved a spot in the league in the first place.
"If Hailey Van Lith had 10,000 followers, would she be in the league?" asked McCoughtry, a six-time All-WNBA selection, said on a podcast on Wednesday.
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Van Lith has 1.3 million Instagram followers, which was fifth-most in the league at the start of the season. McCoughtry has 343,000.
Shortly after McCoughtry's comments circulated on social media on Friday, Chicago Sky head coach Tyler Marsh made it clear how Van Lith earns her opportunities every day.
Chicago Sky guard Hailey Van Lith (left) and Chicago Sky coach Tyler Marsh (right).Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
'We've seen really good flashes and moments from Hailey throughout this season, and then other moments where there's obviously still room for growth," Marsh stated after Friday's practice. "As well as she played against Connecticut and then struggled against Washington, that's rookie growing pains."
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Marsh was not responding specifically to McCoughtry's criticism, but his interview provided a useful look into the work she really puts in.
"The thing was, she was back in the gym the next day, ready to work," he continued. "That's her greatest attribute is her work ethic, her passion, her dedication to being good and being great and being coachable. We still think highly of what Hailey's potential is long-term and short-term with us.'
Van Lith's resume certainly goes deeper than a follower count. In college, she made the Elite Eight three times with three different teams — Louisville, LSU and TCU. She earned third-team All-American honors after her senior season with TCU.
The 23-year-old has also achieved international success with Team USA, winning multiple 3x3 basketball titles including a bronze medal at the 2024 Olympic Games and a gold at the 2023 FIBA 3x3 World Cup.
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Related: Angel Reese Issues Reminder to Hailey Van Lith Amid Chicago Sky Struggles
Related: Angel Reese Makes WNBA All-Star Admission
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 21, 2025, where it first appeared.
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