Chicago Sky Coach Defends Hailey Van Lith Decision After Backlash

This frustrated feeling from fans was exacerbated when Van Lith finally entered the game and played incredibly well. She scored four points in just under four minutes of playing time in her WNBA debut.

Coach Marsh finally defended the decision to sit Van Lith on Wednesday after the team's practice. He insisted that her sitting and learning was the best thing for her development.

"I think there's just as much value in sitting behind someone like a Courtney Vandersloot as there is being thrown into the fire in your first season," said Marsh. "There's pluses and minuses to both, but I think for her, the opportunity to learn and to gain that experience and that knowledge from a Hall of Famer is something she cannot put a price on."

Van Lith may be able to benefit tremendously from having a decorated veteran like Vandersloot showing her the ropes. However, if she is never given the opportunity to apply what she has learned in games, then those lessons are wasted.

Things will not be any easier for the Sky this week, as they host the New York Liberty in their home opener on Thursday, May 22. The Liberty are coming off of a dominant performance against the Las Vegas Aces, so the odds will be stacked against Chicago.

Sooner or later, Van Lith will need to become a focal point if the Sky continue to struggle in the early going. However, it seems that Coach Marsh is fine with where she is right now, even if that means on the bench and out of the rotation.