NEW YORK ― Hailey Van Lith’s reunion with Angel Reese is seemingly a gift from the basketball gods.
When Van Lith left LSU after a tumultuous tenure, it was evident that the Tigers weren’t a fit for her. She often appeared visibly lost on the court, and her production showed that the chemistry with the team left a lot to be desired. Still, when Van Lith transferred to TCU and her journey became one of the best stories in college basketball, she never lost contact with her former teammate.
Fittingly, Reese publicly supported Van Lith with multiple social media posts over the last several months, often with three simple letters: H-V-L. On Monday night, after the Chicago Sky drafted Van Lith No. 10 overall, she couldn’t help but seemingly blush (and flash her megawatt smile) speaking about Reese.
‘Angel has maintained contact with me this whole past year she’s been in the league, and I transferred,’ Van Lith said. ‘I really appreciate her.’
The former Horned Frog explained that the two have a very mature relationship with mutual respect for both the character and the people they are off the court. Van Lith revealed that she and Reese are on the same page with what’s important to them before flashing her signature smile again and saying what many in the league and the room knew.
‘She’s a dawg, man.’
‘She turns up the intensity of everyone around her,’ Van Lith reflected. ‘So, I’m excited to be in that environment with her again where she can pull more out of me than I think I have.’
Van Lith likely has an uphill battle to make the Chicago Sky roster ― they are loaded with guards ― but having Reese in her corner gives her a significant foundation to work with. Additionally, last season, the on-court chemistry between Chicago’s guards and its post players was painful to watch. Often, there was little synergy, and the paint production and pick-and-roll action suffered. Reese and Van Lith together again, at minimum, puts a band-aid on a visible eyesore. At its best, it opens up a world of possibilities.
Reese gets a reliable guard that she’s comfortable with and can work with to build their connection again. Van Lith gets a familiar face in a new environment and will also learn from one of the league’s best veteran point guards, Courtney Vandersloot.
Also, lost in the hoopla of Reese and Van Lith running the floor again is that Van Lith also will benefit from having head coach Tyler Marsh. Marsh is a developmental wizard, who found success while working with Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young. He improved her overall game as one of the top guards in the league, working on her 3-point shot, a main staple of her career.
Van Lith should thrive under Marsh, and with Reese in her corner, the sky ― pun intended ― is the limit. What happens now once she arrives in Chicago, is completely up to her. However, if her final season in college is any indication, Van Lith should settle into the Windy City. She exudes confidence and happiness despite every obstacle (including mental health struggles) in her path, and that has seemingly guided her to this moment.
‘I feel so much joy,’ she said shortly after being drafted. ‘When you persevere through the things that I’ve had to persevere from, you’re just glad to walk around every day.’
The message in that simple thought likely reaches far beyond what anyone likely knows. But for now, it’s Reese and Van Lith, back together again, for more joy and more smiles, and of course, more basketball ― just the way the universe drew it up.
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