Hailey Van Lith didn’t have much time to think about her pro career in the two weeks between the end of her season at TCU and the WNBA draft, but when she did, she dreamed of landing with the Sky. That desire materialized Monday as they picked her No. 11 overall, and at her introductory news conference Thursday, Van Lith spoke glowingly about the shared vision for her development and the potential of teaming up with young post players Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso. “I love playing with size — it makes my job a lot easier,” she said. “I can’t wait to get to play with Angel and Kamilla. I played against Kamilla a lot of times, but never with her... That will add a youthful flair and some fun energy.” She added, “I felt a ton of alignment and I felt like they saw who I was as a player and I felt valued. I was hoping I was available when Chicago’s picks came. Deep in my heart, I was really hoping this was where I ended up.” The Sky are eager for excitement after a 13-27 season that ended with them firing coach Theresa Witherspoon. Their hope is that their young core flourishes under new coach Tyler Marsh and moves them closer to competing for a playoff spot. Van Lith brimmed with confidence about her own prospects and the team’s as she talked for 20 minutes about a “very unique” college career in which she played for three schools, the quick turnaround in her transition to the WNBA and, of course, reuniting with Reese. They appear to have chemistry as friends and teammates from playing together at LSU in 2023-24. That team reached the Elite Eight with Reese as its leading scorer and Van Lith as a fellow starter. Both have grown since. Reese left no doubt as a rookie that her stardom transfers to the pro game and made the All-Star team last season. Van Lith, who has played both guard positions, fine-tuned her style of playing the point. Those upgrades could make their combination “even more impactful than when we played together in college,” Van Lith said. Van Lith will have had less than a month off after her final collegiate game and the April 27 start of training camp. She could play more than 80 games between TCU and the Sky. She was at ease about her future, though, because of her past. Playing for Louisville, LSU and TCU taught her to adjust to new coaches and teammates, and her stint on the U.S. three-on-three team at the 2024 Olympics prepared her for the physical demands — she called three-on-three ball “the ultimate beast” of getting a player in shape — and the heightened competition she’s about to face. “It was a huge confidence builder because I was trying out against WNBA All-Stars... and I proved I could fit into that roster,” Van Lith said. “My role on that team was huge for setting me up for what my rookie season will be like... I used that experience to learn how I set my big-time players up and this is where I can steal a layup or go one-on-one when there’s spacing.” The Sky also introduced second-round pick Maddy Westbeld, a Notre Dame product they took 16th overall, and third-rounder Aicha Coulibaly from Texas A&M. Coulibaly, a guard, played just 19 games last season because of a knee injury, said her recovery has been “going really well,” as the team approaches training camp. The team used its top pick, No. 10 overall, on Slovenian forward Ajsa Sivka, but general manager Jeff Pagliocca said Monday he was uncertain whether she would report this season.