When Cathy Engelbert’s words echoed through The Shed in Manhattan, a new story began to write itself. It was a plot that Hailey Van Lith had dreamed of for years. The dream wasn’t just to make it to the WNBA—it was to wear the Chicago Sky jersey. “Deep in my heart, I wanted to come to the Sky,” Hailey said in her first interview at the Sky Town building. “Just with the two quick conversations I had, I felt a ton of alignment, and I felt like they saw who I was as a player, and I felt valued.”And you see why it matters for fans and Van Lith alike?

The last season was no less than a train wreck for the ex-TCU player. She struggling at LSU, being brought down for it, then deciding to move to TCU, and being brought down for it again. Nothing seemed to be going right. And as it goes, it took such a toll on her mental health that when her redemption arc finally came around, she couldn’t help but let the waterworks flow. “I mean, it’s a blessing,” she said through tears. “But I really — I’m really standing on God’s shoulders right now. … He’s delivered me from so much, man, and so much pain and suffering and confusion.”

And now, as she embarks on this new chapter, she’s making sure every step is built with the kind of strength that won’t shatter, even if she stumbles. The key? Confidence. Not just on or off the court, but inside her own skin as well. Confidence when she wakes up in the morning to look into the mirror, and confidence before she goes to sleep after brushing her teeth. And she began to embrace it even before the draft.

Earlier in April, Van Lith featured on the Sports Illustrated cover page. It was her debut with SI Swimsuit where the star guard looked stunning in a variety of swimsuits, including a black one-piece by Saint Laurent. The photoshoot took place at the Crescent Hotel in Fort Worth, and the pics went viral, with many praising her confidence and looks. Hailey Van Lith herself was pleased. “You can be strong and beautiful and all athletes should feel empowered,” she said.

And now, after the draft night, Hailey dropped another message to the fans- when you sit in a chair, sit like it was made for you. Sharing a few pics of the Draft night preparations, Hailey was all in to woo the fanbase. Captioning her post, “Rose in the Dark,” Hailey shared a total of 14 clicks, many of them with her full attire and a boss look, with different shades of lights bringing out stares from her. And to call it rose in the dark? It’s as if she were screaming, “I am beautiful, you are beautiful. Claim the world”. 

Fair to say that in a world where social media has you in a chokehold, defining the standard for how “certain clothes look good only on certain body types,” Van Lith’s real post comes as a much-needed motivation boost for everyone. And now, fans cannot wait for her to spread this wildfire, which only cleanses one’s soul, even wider with her Sky debut.

Fans are awaiting basketball beauty to grace the Chicago Sky

Hailey Van Lith’s caption, Rose in the dark, isn’t just a string of pretty words. It is a symbol of resilience and beauty born from struggle. Because to bloom and accept yourself quietly despite the light, despite the odds? How many of us are actually able to do that? How many times do we promise ourselves to get our life back from the clutches of society and yet fail? Thanks to HVL, we now know that where most things wither, the rose dares to grow, drawing life from pain, hope from shadows. So, we can too.

And hence started a chain of Uno-reverse comments under her post, with fans throwing back love at her for being who she truly is. “You shine like a star in the SKY, can’t wait to see you stun on court this season.” Well, we cannot agree more, especially with Reese liking her picture too, who has posed for SI swimsuits too. Which reminded us that Hailey plus Reese is going to be a bucket full of bodily inspiration for women. Reese herself is no stranger to being body-shamed. In January of this year, she was forced to disable her account after sharing her New Year’s Eve outfit on Instagram. The backlash was incessant, with even media headlines referring to her clothes as “ultra-revealing”.

Then, in March, she had a blunt message for those who were trying to dictate her life. “I hate when people say that, ‘Oh she’s too worried about her makeup and her hair and her lashes and her nails and her outfits,‘” Reese said. “They complain and say that WNBA players are too manly, not feminine enough. We don’t dress cute enough. They don’t want to watch a bunch of little boys running around the court. Now, we’re too much.”

And that’s spot on. No matter how much you change yourself, there’s always going to be a standard you can’t match, something you will be criticised for. To prove Reese’s point, you can take Hailey’s example itself. But now, neither Reese nor Van Lith wishes to pay much attention to trolls. As one fan put it best, “These are like wedding pics when you married yourself….which I highly recommend.” We want to take a moment to appreciate how lovely this comment is. You know what, it carried even more weight when you hear what HVL had to say after her SI shoot.

“Growing up in the frame of social media, I 100% felt pressured as when I was 15, 16, and I first started blowing up,” she shared. “My thighs were too big, my hair was too short, I had too much acne… it’s hard when you’re not young, you’re not mature enough to form your own perspective without the opinions of other people.” Just see what a powerful message it is for young girls, who are still navigating those pressures.

Then came another user, probably worried that WNBA fame might change Hailey. The fan said, “Stay Humble. Don’t let your new success change who you are.” And well, the user, if you reading this, then we don’t think you need to worry a lot. After all, Hailey was mentored by the great Kobe Bryant at the Mamba Sports Academy, and we are sure she has that Mamba Mentality bug inside of her. So, she knows that one needs to constantly try to be the best version of oneself. Even if she changes, it will only be for the better. And allowing Hailey to blossom in the conditions will be the Chicago Sky’s main objective in order to form the guard-forward pairing they are aiming for long term.

Then another comment brought back memories of when the Chicago Sky hosted a Barbie-themed night. “You should be the real barbie,” the user said. Oh, how we wish the team would host another now that HVL is here. The chairs were draped with pink towels then and now, just imagine Hailey sitting with the same fierce yet comforting look. We are all for it.

One user also dropped a fire emoji, citing something very demanding, especially for women athletes. “Beauty🔥. Can’t wait to watch you play,” they said. Wait, what?

That was sarcasm, please, and for lack of better words, let me borrow Flau’jae Johnson’s. “As women, we’re always scrutinized in everything we do,” Johnson says. “In the game, we’re told we’re just supposed to play basketball. But as women, we need to own our feminine side, even on the court.” You see the point, now? If yes, that’s what I would like to leave you with to ponder upon.