Hailey Van Lith reflects on NBA boyfriend Jalen Suggs after his WNBA Draft support

NEW YORK CITY – Hailey Van Lith enjoyed the support of her boyfriend, Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs, during the 2025 WNBA Draft . And it meant the world to the ex-TCU star. Van Lith could be seen sharing a kiss with Suggs after being selected by the Chicago Sky with the No.

11 overall pick on Monday. The Magic star, wearing a Sky cap, told Mirror U.S.



Sports that hearing the new Chicago playmaker's name being called by WNBA commisioner Cathy Engelbert was the highlight of the night. "Jalen means a lot to me," Van Lith said to Mirror U.S.

Sports when asked about Suggs' presence at the draft. " And to have him be here for such an important night in my career, it means everything to me as I was there for his night too when he got drafted. "And to see us both support each other and show up in ways that is not always easy, it means a lot.

" Van Lith admitted to feeling a lot of emotions on draft night, particularly considering she didn't exactly know where she would land. WNBA mock drafts projected her to be a likely first-round pick while noting a possibility of the former TCU, LSU, and Louisville guard slipping into the second round. In the end, the 5-foot-9 guard is headed to Chicago where she will reunite with former LSU teammate, Angel Reese .

"I didn't have any expectations going into the draft," Van Lith said. "I had no idea where I was going to go, who was going to take me. And so to actually hear my name and to reflect on what I've been through and what I've been able to persevere, immediately I was emotional.

"And also having my dad and my mom right next to me, I really just wanted to hug them and embrace them." Those hugs from her loved ones helped Van Lith take control of her emotions for a second – before the magnitude of the night dawned on her again. "Once I hugged them, I felt very calmed and I was ready to move on," Van Lith continued.

"But immediately I felt a wave of emotion of just like, 'Wow, like my journey has been crazy and I made it through.' "Like that is a feat in itself. So that's probably what I felt right away.

" Van Lith averaged 15.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.

4 assists on the way to an Elite Eight appearance with TCU in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. By doing so, she became the first player in NCAA history to reach the Elite Eight with three different programs, having reached that stage with LSU and Louisville as well..