When the 2025 WNBA draft takes place the Golden State Valkyries will draft players at spots 5, 17, and 30. There are a ton of mock drafts out there being updated weekly that all make one thing clear: except for the top spot (presumably Paige Bueckers' unless she gives it up) and perhaps the second (Kiki Iriafen began the season as a lock but that's come into question with the return of Azzi Fudd and Olivia Miles' powerhouse performances so far), the rest of the list is up in the air.
This gives TCU shooting guard Hailey Van Lith an interesting path toward the WNBA, something that might have seemed nearly impossible a season ago — and something that could impact the Valkyries.
Before she spent a season at LSU, Hailey Van Lith enjoyed three successful seasons at the University of Louisville under Coach Jeff Walz and was poised to become a top 10 draft pick. Van Lith said she went to New Orleans the following year for a few reasons: to win a national championship, to improve her game as a guard (Coach Kim Mulkey played the same role), and to go to law school, but her numbers dropped and teammate Angel Reese later admitted that Van Lith never quite fit in.
But that didn't mean Van Lith wasn't good, and her season at TCU so far has proven she never should have been counted out in the first place — she just wasn't in the right program last year. Like any player, she was her weaknesses (her three-point shooting could improve, as could her defense) and her strengths (her mid-range shot is lethal, she handles the ball well, and is always, always moving), and next year nearly half of the teams in the league will need guards in a draft class that isn't necessarily stacked that way (for now).
In a lot of ways, Van Lith's abilities are similar to those of Kentucky's Georgia Amoore, who was also predicted to be a top-round draft pick in 2025 but has fallen off a little this season. It should be noted that the point guard has a pattern of beginning her seasons slowly and then dominating as the ball gets rolling, and she has an edge on Van Lith in terms of 3-point shooting and passing.
This time a year ago no one saw Van Lith being drafted at all, and in some ways, it's not fair to compare the two players based on fewer than 10 games. But if Van Lith has proven anything so far, it's that she might be right at home as a second-round pick (and if she keeps this up, the first round will certainly come into play).
Van Lith also brings a sizeable fan base and years of marketing, NIL experience, and exposure with her. She's an Olympic champion with over 1 million followers on Instagram. Her fans and followers are loyal, and would likely delight in seeing Van Lith drafted anywhere, especially at a team being built from the ground up. In return, the Valkyries would benefit from her built-in audience, particularly in terms of merch and ticket sales, and her unique experience as an Olympics veteran, something that sets her apart from most of the upcoming draft class (and shows that both her game and her mindset can translate successfully to professional basketball).
As per usual, the NCAA tournament will reveal all. If Hailey Van Lith is WNBA-ready, that will be when it will become the most apparent — and when the Valkyries will be paying the most attention.