Context:

Angel McCoughtry, a former WNBA star, criticized Chicago Sky rookie Hailey Van Lith, suggesting her large social media following played a significant role in her draft selection rather than her talent alone. McCoughtry questioned whether Van Lith would have been selected if she had a smaller social media presence, despite acknowledging her as a decent player. Van Lith, a former collegiate star, had standout performances at Louisville, LSU, and TCU, leading her teams to successes such as NCAA tournament berths. Following backlash from her comments, McCoughtry apologized publicly, clarifying her intention was not to disparage Van Lith's hard work and talent. Van Lith, now in her rookie WNBA season, has been playing a limited role, averaging 5.1 points and 1.5 assists per game in her initial games with the Chicago Sky.

Dive Deeper:

• Angel McCoughtry expressed concerns over Hailey Van Lith's draft selection, attributing it more to her substantial social media presence rather than her basketball skills, which sparked controversy and debate.

• McCoughtry highlighted Van Lith's 1.3 million Instagram followers, questioning if her popularity rather than pure talent secured her WNBA position, suggesting that other potentially more talented but less popular players were overlooked.

• Hailey Van Lith had a notable college career, starting strong at Louisville, transferring to LSU, and finishing at TCU, where she consistently demonstrated her abilities and led her teams to NCAA tournament appearances.

• After receiving criticism for her remarks, McCoughtry issued an apology on Instagram, acknowledging her mistake in delivery and emphasizing that her intention was not to undermine Van Lith's achievements and hard work.

• Hailey Van Lith, despite the controversy, has begun her professional career with the Chicago Sky, where she has played a limited role off the bench, averaging modest stats in her early WNBA appearances.