It has been a catastrophic start to the 2025 WNBA campaign for rookie head coach Tyler Marsh and the Chicago Sky, as the franchise has fallen to 12th overall in the regular season standings, with an abysmally poor record of 2-7.
Despite becoming the first player in the 2025 WNBA season to reach 100 rebounds, Angel Reese has become the scapegoat for Chicago's torrid form. Reese's sharpshooter teammate, Ariel Atkins, has recently leaped to the defense of the star after a reporter asked an 'irrelevant' question during a post-match press conference and slammed the disgusting abuse that the 23-year-old has suffered.
There is no doubt that the LSU graduate has struggled with efficiency issues this year, shooting 35.8 percent from the floor; yet, she is far from the core problem that has contributed to the Sky's woes. After the legendary Courtney Vandersloot suffered a torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament injury that prematurely closed the curtain on her campaign, creativity from the guard position has become a serious hurdle that Marsh must swiftly find a solution to.
Atkins has been an impressive addition to Chicago's scoring, averaging 13.4 points per game. However, the Sky's flaws stem from the lack of a floor general who can execute their offensive game plan. The former Washington Mystics guard has shown glimpses of her playmaking prowess as she racked up five assists in her previous matchup against the Atlanta Dream, but this is not the role that the star is most comfortable with.
Hailey Van Lith's role in the rotation has been limited
With Atkins most effective from the shooting guard position, and Vandersloot set for a prolonged spell on the sideline, the Chicago fanbase may be surprised to see that their No.11 overall selection in the 2025 WNBA draft has been restricted to just 13.2 minutes over six games. Even though Van Lith was ruled out of the Sky's opening two fixtures with an ankle injury, the 'Windy City' franchise's abysmal start to the season would suggest there could be an enhanced role for the rookie.
Van Lith thrived as the primary ball handler in her senior year at TCU, averaging 17.9 points and a career-high 5.4 assists per game and leading her teammates to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament, before being defeated 58-47 by Texas. Nevertheless, this was a historical year for TCU as this was the deepest run they have ever made in the prestigious college tournament.
After being selected by the Chicago Sky, the 23-year-old made a positive impression in preseason fixtures versus the Minnesota Lynx and the Brazilian national team by accumulating 18 points and 13 assists with just two turnovers over the three games.
These efforts were deemed not effective enough to warrant a major role in the rotation, which could be expected after the acquisition of Vandersloot and the franchise having serious playoff ambitions. The lack of trust in the rookie could be attributed to her lack of WNBA experience and Van Lith's inability to be a presence on the glass due to her smaller height, which measures at 5-foot-7.
An argument could be made that with expert rebounders, such as Reese and Kamilla Cardoso, featuring on the roster, it then becomes the responsibility of the head coach to solve this conundrum. If Hailey Van Lith is provided a platform to solely concentrate as the primary ball handler, taking the ball out of the hands of Reese and Atkins, this could accelerate her development and ignite the Sky's season before it capitulates—if it hasn't already.