Hailey Van Lith posing on red carpet

Hailey Van Lith may be happy now, but she certainly wasn’t that way before the draft.

The former Louisville Cardinals, LSU Tigers, and TCU guard had a fantastic final season, averaging 17.9 points, 5.4 assists, and 4.6 rebounds per game.

Ahead of the draft, all the players invited to New York City visited the top of the Empire State Building.

With the other future draftees, Van Lith ascended to the 86th floor of the Empire State Building, where they took some group photos.

Van Lith did not look excited to be there.

Van Lith was the only one in the group with a visible frown on her face. It even caught the attention of an ESPN host, who called it “miserable.”

“I’ve never seen someone as miserable and as downtrodden at the Empire State Building as Hailey Van Lith,” the host said.

To be fair, it may have been very early in the morning, and she might not be a person who likes to get up so early.

She was most certainly all smiles as the Chicago Sky selected her 11th overall in the 2025 WNBA Draft.

She’s rejoining her Tigers sister Angel Reese in the Windy City.

Hailey Van Lith had a strong 2024-25 season, averaging 17.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 5.4 assists, and helped the Horned Frogs reach the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.

Hailey Van Lith Speaks About Her Frown Before The WNBA Draft

Hailey Van Lith talking to reporters(Sara Diggins/American-Hailey Van Lith (Statesman-USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Not everyone from the 2025 WNBA draft class was happy to wake up early and make the trip to the Empire State Building on Monday as part of the league’s pre-draft festivities.

Paige Bueckers and Van Lith were a few high-profile names who took a field trip to one of NYC’s most notable landmarks.

Van Lith could be seen looking quite upset.

While appearing on ESPN, Van Lith was asked about her reaction during that moment.

“I don’t even remember doing that, so that’s a red flag,” Van Lith said. “I don’t know. I have no idea.”