Hailey Van Lith‘s heart always was in Chicago.

That’s what the new Sky guard revealed to reporters at her introductory press conference Thursday, three days after Chicago picked her No. 11 in the 2025 WNBA Draft.

“Deep in my heart, I wanted to come to the Sky,” Van Lith said. “I felt like, just with the two quick conversations I had, I felt a ton of alignment and felt like they saw who I was as a player. I felt valued. I was hoping I was available when Chicago’s picks came (at Nos. 10 and 11).”

When asked about what values she brings to the WNBA and that the Sky told her they liked in her game, Van Lith mentioned her mindset.

“Not just skill set, but more of a mindset and a personality,” Van Lith said. “They really wanted someone that brought toughness, that was gritty and could fight. And I like to think those are character traits that are displayed when I play.”

Van Lith, one of the most recognizable names in college basketball over the past five years, also was a highly tracked player in the draft. A McDonald’s All-American out of Cashmere, Wash., Van Lith began her college career at Louisville and twice was named All-Atlantic Coast Conference. Her 2022-23 season was the best of her three with the Cardinals, as she averaged a career-high 19.7 points per game and led them to the Elite Eight before they fell to Caitlin Clark’s Iowa.

Van Lith then transferred to LSU to join future Sky teammate Angel Reese on the reigning national championship team for the 2023-24 season. Unfortunately for Van Lith, she had the toughest season of her college career, averaging just 11.8 points per game on a career-low 37.8 percent shooting from the field, as Clark’s Iowa team again ended her season in the Elite Eight.

Van Lith finished her college career strong at TCU, where she was named third-team All-American and the Big 12 Player of the Year, guiding the Horned Frogs to the Elite Eight after averaging 17.9 points per game on a career-high 45.2 percent shooting. She added a career-high 5.4 assists per game, too.

“I’m not new to having to learn a new system, and a new coaching staff and new teammates,” Van Lith said. “That’s one good thing about my unique career is I’m very well experienced with change.”

Van Lith, who also won a 3×3 basketball bronze medal with Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics, now joins a Sky team that’s looking to bounce back from a 13-27 season. The Sky, led by first-year head coach Tyler Marsh, will have a new look in 2025, and Van Lith is excited to be part of that rebrand.

“My mindset going into any team is, ‘How can I help this team win?’ ” Van Lith said. “I’ll figure that out very quick, I’m assuming.”

The Sky are counting on it.