Last April, the Chicago Sky introduced Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese as potential new franchise pillars. Given the exploding popularity of women’s basketball over the preceding year, fans and analysts were surprised by the Sky’s decision to introduce their first-round picks at a park gymnasium, especially as the Indiana Fever afforded a red carpet entrance to top overall pick Caitlin Clark.
Fast-forward one year, and the Sky may have learned from the lessons of 2024. On Thursday, Chicago introduced its three 2025 WNBA Draft picks — including point guard Hailey Van Lith –inside the city’s 1,451-foot Willis Tower, once the world’s tallest building.
Last July, the Sky announced plans to build a new “state-of-the-art” practice facility that would open in time for the 2026 WNBA season. The $38 million performance center, called “SkyTown”, will be located close to the Sky’s Wintrust Arena home, just south of the city’s downtown.
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Along with shifting rookie press conferences to the Willis Tower, the Sky has responded to criticism of Reese’s introduction with a healthy commitment to improving player conditions and performance — a step many of the WNBA’s 13 franchises have taken The W’s explosion in recent years.
That explosion was prompted in part by players like Reese, who was once Van Lith’s teammate with the LSU Tigers. Now reunited with Reese in the WNBA, Van Lith on Thursday told reporters that the Sky granted her wish in Monday’s draft: Chicago was where she wanted to be all along.
“Deep in my heart, I wanted to come to the Sky,” Van Lith said. “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.”
Related: Hailey Van Lith Reveals True Feelings on Rejoining Angel Reese
