Draft night is supposed to be the crowning moment of a young athlete’s career—a celebration of hard work, dreams realized, and the bright promise of what’s next. But for Haley Van Lith, the 11th overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, it felt more like a personal horror movie unfolding in real time.
As NBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced his selection from the Chicago skyline, cameras zoomed in on Van Lith. While most prospects burst into joyful tears or beam with pride, Van Lith’s expression told a different story. It wasn’t nerves. It wasn’t shock. It was pure panic. A look that said, “How is this happening to me again?”
Because it wasn’t just about being drafted. It was about where —and with whom .
She was about to be reunited with Angel Reese.
A meeting no one asked for – especially not Van Lith
For those who haven’t been following the Van Litese saga closely, here’s some background. The two shared a backcourt at LSU during the 2023-24 NCAA season. On paper, it looked like a dream team. In reality, it was a chemistry disaster.
Van Lith, previously a 19.7 points-per-game star at Louisville, saw her production drop to just 11.6 points per game at LSU. She went from offensive centerpiece to afterthought—often seen parked at the three-point line, waving passes that never came, while Reese dominated the paint and the spotlight.
The adjustment was awkward, the system didn’t work for either of them, and Van Lith ultimately did what any elite athlete trying to salvage their trajectory would do—she transferred. TCU became her fresh start, and she immediately looked like herself, averaging nearly 18 points per game and reclaiming her identity as a scoring threat.
And then came draft night, where fate—or misfortune—deposited her directly next to the one teammate she’d worked so hard to distance herself from.
The face that launched a thousand tweets
Social media didn’t miss a beat. The clip of Van Lith’s stunned reaction instantly went viral, spawning reaction memes, concern threads, and one-liners like, “She cut out the cancer and it came right back.”
The moment Chicago chose her, the emotions played across her face like a slow-motion shipwreck. You can almost see the thought process unfolding:
«Attends… Chicago…»
“…Angel Reese is playing there…”
“Certainly not.”
And sure enough, minutes after the choice, Angel Reese tweeted,
“We don’t do it right the first time… let’s go Backkkk.”
For Reese, it was a celebration. For Van Lith? A nightmare come true.
It’s not a drama – it’s the data
The concern is not just emotional – it is empirical.
Louisville (pre-networks): 19.7 ppg
LSU (with Reese): 11.6 ppg
TCU (post-network): 17.8 ppg
This kind of statistical swing isn’t just bad luck—it’s a sign of poor on-court dynamics. Elite players typically maintain consistent production across systems. But in Van Lith’s case, the numbers plummeted when she shared the court with Reese, only to rebound when she left.
This is not speculation. It’s mathematics.
And that’s why so many fans—and analysts—are worried. Because WNBA careers are short, unforgiving, and driven by stats. If Van Lith’s production drops again like it did at LSU, it won’t just be a bad look—it could cost her minutes, her security, her endorsements, and her trajectory.
Different energies, same team
The personalities of the two players couldn’t be more different.
Reese thrives on being the moment . Tall, confident, and dominant, she knows how to own the spotlight. Meanwhile, Van Lith is cerebral, focused, intense, and at her best when she’s running the show, not playing off someone else’s energy.
So this reunion feels less like a collaboration and more like a power imbalance. Reese’s enthusiasm, especially his tweet, met with some fans less of a “We’re teammates again” response and more of a “I’m still the alpha” response.
What now? Sales pitches, coaching challenges, and unknowns
Some fans immediately called for a trade— before Van Lith even put on a Sky jersey . Others hope the Chicago coaching staff would step in, structure the offense to give Van Lith the freedom she needs and avoid falling into the LSU trap again.
But it’s a big ask.
Unless Heaven has a clear and intentional plan to make this duo work—and not just coexist but thrive —they risk repeating the exact dysfunction that derailed the two players’ chemistry last time out.
Because make no mistake: Van Lith rebuilt herself after LSU. She bet on herself, transferred, thrived, and came back to prominence. This draft pick just dropped her back into the environment she fought to escape.
And that’s why she looked sick.
The crossroads of his career
Van Lith now faces the toughest challenge of his young career – not a defensive scheme or a shooting slump, but a test of mental toughness.
Can she assert herself in a system that once stifled her? Can heaven find a way to let her and Reese succeed without stifling the other? Or will Van Lith be forced to grit his teeth through another season of standing in the corner while someone else chases headlines?
The cameras may have stopped rolling, but her draft-night expression will follow her through training camp, the preseason, and maybe all of her rookie year.
This story is not over.
It’s just getting started.
