The WNBA season is officially back, which means basketball is finally here again. But before anyone even checked the score, Hailey Van Lith had already won the tunnel walk championship.
The former TCU star made her debut for the Connecticut Sun on Friday night against the New York Liberty at Barclays Center, and she showed up looking like she was about to either drop 20 points or headline Fashion Week. Maybe both.
Van Lith pulled up in a royal blue Adidas jacket layered over a light blue corset-style bustier top, because apparently regular warm-up hoodies are for civilians. The sweetheart neckline gave the outfit some glam energy, while the striped necktie added that “I’m here to handle business but also steal your attention” vibe. Honestly, the outfit looked like a CEO and a pop star had a very stylish baby.
And of course social media immediately lost its mind.
The Sun posted the photos on X. Half the comments were about basketball, the other half were basically people asking how someone can look that put together before a professional sporting event. Most of us can barely find matching socks before work.
Van Lith came off the bench in her first game for Connecticut. She logged nine points on 4-of-7 shooting, to go along with one rebound, four assists, a steal and one triple in just 14 minutes of action.
The Sun, however, suffered a blowout loss on opening night. They had no answer for Breanna Stwerart (31 points, 10 rebounds), who led the Liberty to a dominant 106-75 win.
Van Lith and the Sun return to action on Sunday in a home matchup against the Seattle Storm.
Still, underneath all the fashion talk is a player with real expectations this season. The Sun are hoping Van Lith can bring toughness, scoring, and confidence to the roster. And judging by the way she walked into Barclays Center, confidence will not be a problem.
One thing is already clear: Hailey Van Lith understands modern basketball better than most. It’s not just about buckets anymore, it’s about highlights, branding, personality, and yes, serving looks before tipoff.
And honestly? Mission accomplished.
Flip to the next page for Hailey Van Lith’s pregame photos…
