Chicago Sky rookie Hailey Van Lith had a standout game that was critical in the team's first win in the Commissioner's Cup. The Sky are now 3-7 after the 78-66 victory over the Connecticut Sun. The headline performance was from Angel Reese, who became the second-youngest player in WNBA history to record a triple-double.

It was, however, Van Lith that led the team in points with a career high 16 on 6/8 shooting. The 2025 first-round pick out of TCU has gone through some expected growing pains early on in her first season. It's never easy for these athletes, in most cases, to go from playing college basketball to just a few years later competing at the professional level. But now the Sky need consistent production from the point guard position more than ever after the devastating injury to legendary floor general Courtney Vandersloot. And Van Lith delivered against the Sun, showcasing her offensive versatility throughout the contest.

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The Chicago Sky is very much a work in progress in 2025. While the team added some savvy veterans to the roster over the offseason, this team's success largely revolves around the continued development of Angel Reese and Kamilia Cardoso. Both of these young frontcourt players have had some terrific performances and struggled at times, especially against elite teams. Aside from an early-season loss to the Los Angeles Sparks, all of the Sky's defeats have come to teams expecting to make the postseason.

But Chicago is not out of any playoff race yet, even though the team is eliminated in the Commissioner's Cup. The Sky currently sits in fifth place in the Eastern Conference at 1-3, trailing the Atlanta Dream, Indiana Fever, and New York Liberty by two games with one game left in the competition. The Sky additionally trails the Fever by two games for the eighth seed should the postseason start today.

The franchise missed the playoffs last year for the first time since 2018 and is still in the middle of a rebuild. While there were some high hopes for this squad heading into 2025, the Vandersloot injury really hurts. The 36-year-old is one of the greatest point guards in league history and has an impact on this team that extends beyond the court. While Van Lith cannot replace Vandersloot, if she can provide a boost in her role off the bench, that will give Cardoso and Reese some much-needed help as they try to develop into reliable first and second options.