Hailey Van Lith Lands New WNBA Contract as Sun Make Roster Moves Ahead of FIBA World Cup

Hailey Van Lith will get another chance to prove herself in the WNBA this week.

The Connecticut Sun announced Wednesday that Van Lith signed an "upgraded" seven-day contract with Leila Lacan set to fulfill her FIBA World Cup obligations for France.

Van Lith was the 11th overall pick in the 2025 WNBA draft after her tremendous college career and figured to be a serviceable player for years to come, but she's struggled to find her place in the league early on.

After a disappointing rookie year with the Chicago Sky that was marred by a nagging ankle injury, Van Lith was waived by the team this May. The Sun picked her up off waivers the same day she was cut by the Sky.

Connecticut waived her a few weeks after picking her up, but she was brought back on a developmental contract in late May. She reportedly had other options in free agency but opted to stay with the Sun because she thought it was better for her overall growth as a player.

Van Lith has made 16 appearances with Connecticut this year, putting up 5.3 points, 1.9 assists and 1.0 rebounds per game in just over 14 minutes per contest.

The seven-day contract should be a good opportunity for Van Lith to show what she can do before the season ends. Considering Lacan was a starter who played nearly 30 minutes a game, Van Lith should get plenty of playing time.

She'll also have the chance to play without much pressure since the Sun are 10-27 and have already been eliminated from playoff contention. If Van Lith can provide valuable minutes off the bench, it could lead to another opportunity this offseason.