Hailey Van Lith identifies major issue WNBA must address amid talent boom originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Hailey Van Lith has experienced firsthand how difficult it can be to secure a lasting place in the WNBA. The Connecticut Sun guard believes expansion is necessary to ensure the league has enough opportunities for its growing pool of talent.
Van Lith addressed the future of the league during an appearance on the “House of Maher” podcast. She pointed to a simple problem: Talented players are entering professional basketball faster than current players are leaving it.
“The rate at which players are coming in is far exceeding the rate at which players are retiring,” Van Lith said. “Roster spots and money and team availability is so hard to come by. That’s why all the expansion proposals and teams have been so big the last couple years.”
Hailey Van Lith knows the roster crunch firsthand
Van Lith understands the uncertainty of the roster bubble better than most. The former first-round pick was waived by the Chicago Sky before the 2026 season and claimed by Connecticut two days later. The Sun waived her after nine games before eventually bringing her back on a developmental contract.
She has averaged 6.1 points, 1.9 assists and one rebound across 14 appearances this season. Van Lith has also shot 45.2 percent from the field and 42.9 percent from 3-point range, providing evidence that productive players can still struggle to find secure roster spots. The WNBA expanded to 15 teams with the additions of the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo this season after the Golden State Valkyries entered the league in 2025. Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia are scheduled to join in the coming years.
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Golden State showed expansion can work
Van Lith credited Golden State with demonstrating what a new franchise can offer.
“The Valkyries kinda started it,” she said. “They showed that these teams are good investments. They are worth these owners investing into. It’s been good so far, but honestly expansion is so needed because we have so much talent coming in.”
That talent pipeline is not slowing down. Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Paige Bueckers and Olivia Miles have already helped reshape the league, while college stars such as JuJu Watkins, Hannah Hidalgo, Madison Booker and Sarah Strong could headline future draft classes.
Expansion creates more roster spots, but it can also extend the league’s reach into new markets and give fans more games to watch. Golden State’s early success has supplied a promising model. Van Lith’s path has been turbulent, but it also has given her a valuable perspective. As women’s basketball produces more WNBA-caliber players, the league must continue creating places for them to play.