Hailey Van Lith reunites with Angel
Reese in WNBA after teaming up during historic college career
[April 15, 2025]
By BRIAN MAHONEY
NEW YORK (AP) — Hailey Van Lith shared some hugs with family and
then a kiss with NBA player Jalen Suggs, who was thrilled that the
Chicago Sky selected his girlfriend with the No. 11 pick in the WNBA
draft on Monday night.
So was Angel Reese.
Van Lith and Reese, college teammates at LSU, will be reunited as
pros and can't wait to get back to work.
“We both are just tough dogs on the court,” Van Lith said. "I mean,
she’s willing to do things that aren’t pretty to win, and I’m
talking about aggressive rebounding, defense, things that aren't
what we call sexy basketball.
“She’s willing to execute those things to get a win. And I think
that I share that character trait with her.”
That's part of what drew the Sky to Van Lith, who showed those
traits as the first player to be part of three teams that reached
the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. First it was during her
three seasons at Louisville, then one at LSU before spending this
past season at TCU.
LSU was attempting to defend its 2023 national title when Caitlin
Clark and Iowa stopped the Tigers in the regional final in Reese's
final college game.
Now, she and Van Lith will see what they can do together as pros.
“We ain’t do it right the first time,” Reese wrote on X. “Let’s run
it backkkkk.”
Suggs, who plays for the Orlando Magic, was standing and smiling
after Van Lith's name was called by Commissioner Cathy Englebert.
She waved back toward where he was standing, then eventually walked
over for a kiss and hug.
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TCU's Hailey Van Lith poses before the WNBA basketball draft,
Monday, April 14, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
Suggs had also been there to cheer in the NCAA
Tournament, wearing Van Lith's jersey during their run to the Elite
Eight.
Reese had been supporting as well. Van Lith said the former
teammates had remained in contact during the season, when Van Lith
was voted Big 12 player of the year at her new school.
Now they will try to help the Sky rebound from a 13-27 record in
Reese's rookie season, when she grabbed the most rebounds ever by a
first-year player.
“We have a very mature relationship, a mutual respect relationship
where we both have respect for each other’s game and also the
character and the person we are off the court,” Van Lith said. “So,
mostly I’m just excited to get to be around her again. I think we
have a lot of similarities about how we carry ourselves and our
mindset on what’s important to us.
"And, you know, she’s a dog, man. She turns up the intensity of
everybody around her. So, I’m excited to be in that environment with
her again, where she can pull more out of me than than I think I
have.”
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