The Chicago Sky are carrying a 9-28 record during the 2025 WNBA season into Thursday evening's game against the 23-14 Phoenix Mercury. Chicago is 2-15 in its last 17 contests and has lost two straight games heading into Thursday.
Chicago is already eliminated from playoff contention, but the Mercury are in the thick of competing for home-court advantage in the first round. They currently sit in fourth place with a 0.5-game lead on the defending WNBA champion New York Liberty.
Fortunately, Chicago is relatively healthy, considering the season they've had. Still, they'll be without first-round rookie guard Hailey Van Lith against the Mercury, who has played the last two games after recently returning from injury.
Van Lith has been sidelined at several junctures this season as she nurses an ankle injury that she suffered earlier in the year. She has appeared in just 29 of the team's 37 games in 2025.
Some of these missed games were head coach Tyler Marsh's choice not to sub her in. However, Van Lith's being out on Thursday is purely injury-related, and Marsh noted that it is a precautionary measure, considering the Sky are eliminated from playoff contention.
"She has some flare-ups at times with her ankle, and so she's felt a little soreness," Marsh said. "So we want to be cautious with that, especially at the time of the season that we're in, so, you know, giving her the proper rest and treatment that she needed so that she's feeling okay."
Coach Marsh on Hailey Van Lith’s ankle injury and being ruled out for PHX game:
— Chicago State of Mind Sports (@ChiStateOfMind_) August 28, 2025
“She has some flare ups at times with her ankle, and so she's felt a little soreness. So we want to be, cautious with that, especially at the time of the season that we're in, so, you know, giving…
The Chicago Sky have only had four players appear in each of their 37 games, and just one of them, Kia Nurse, opened the year as a starter. Otherwise, bench pieces like Elizabeth Williams, Rebecca Allen and Rachel Banham have been the stalwarts in the lineup.
Two-time All-Star forward Angel Reese has missed 10 games, and star guard Ariel Atkins has missed seven, all due to injury. Second-year player Kamilla Cardoso also missed four games as she was fulfilling an overseas commitment.
WNBA and Chicago Sky franchise legend Courtney Vandersloot also suffered a season-ending knee injury on June 7, and veteran forward Michaela Onyenwere has also missed two games. As a result, the Sky have employed 13 different starting lineup combinations.
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