Let’s be honest—Hailey Van Lith is no stranger to viral moments. From electric college runs to confident post-game interviews, she’s built her rep on being unapologetically herself. But this time, it wasn’t a buzzer-beater or a trash-talk moment that broke the internet. It was… a game of “him or him.”

In a now-viral video, Hailey Van Lith was asked to choose between various NBA players in a rapid-fire “this guy or that guy” format. The catch? No matter the matchup—Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Anthony Edwards, even Jayson Tatum himself—Van Lith kept choosing Jalen Brunson like it was a New York state law.

Fans? Baffled. Some entertained. Some speculating. And one guy is definitely side-eyeing from Orlando (hey, Jalen Suggs). Let’s break this whole thing down—from her surprising Knicks leanings to her current WNBA reality with the Chicago Sky, her ongoing injury status, and the absolute fan circus that’s followed.

Before we get too deep into fan theories and Brunson debates, let’s get to what actually matters on the court. Hailey Van Lith, a Chicago Sky rookie, 11th overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, is currently dealing with an ankle injury that has sidelined her for five games now. Despite being spotted on the stationary bike pregame, the Sky have ruled her out of Tuesday night’s game against the Washington Mystics.

And while Van Lith rides the pine, Angel Reese makes her return after a two-game absence due to a back injury. Reese, averaging 13.8 points and a league-leading 12.5 boards, is arguably the Sky’s MVP right now—and her return is massive for a struggling 7-18 squad. Meanwhile, Van Lith—averaging 4.2 points, 1.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.1 threes in about 14 minutes per game—has had a rocky rookie campaign. That shooting percentage? It’s been dropping faster than the Clippers’ playoff hopes after Game 2.

Her next chance to suit up will be Friday against the Golden State Valkyries. But let’s just say fans aren’t exactly focused on box scores this week. The moment Van Lith said “Jalen Brunson” one too many times, NBA Twitter did what it does best: start trade rumors with no factual basis whatsoever. “Oh she wanna play in NY huh?” That was the common theme, with fans wondering if this was some cryptic way of saying “get me to the Liberty.”

For context: the New York Liberty already has Sabrina Ionescu, Courtney Vandersloot, and Breanna Stewart. Their backcourt is so deep you’d need a submarine to find minutes. Meanwhile, the Chicago Sky are not shopping Van Lith, who’s on a four-year rookie deal worth $320,000—the standard WNBA rookie scale. There’s zero credible reporting that Van Lith is being considered in any trades, let alone to New York. And let’s face it: picking Jalen Brunson over Tatum in a silly interview isn’t exactly grounds for a blockbuster move. But fans? Fans gon’ fan.

Reactions, Rants & the Real Takeaways

Let’s hit the comments section where things went full-court press.

“JB clears all those dudes but she highkey glazing him here… I fw it tho” Translation: Jalen Brunson is that guy, but c’mon Hailey, maybe dial it down? Let’s look at the numbers. Brunson’s been averaging 26–28 PPG, especially in crunch-time playoff moments. Dude turned MSG into a fortress, even against teams like the Celtics and Heat. He’s 6’1” but plays with the confidence of a 6’9” stretch four in a contract year.

Still, does he “clear” Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Anthony Edwards? Shai just won MVP, leading the Thunder to a title with 31 PPG and 8 assists. Edwards? He’s basically Kobe with Gatorade deals. Van Lith might love Brunson, but statistically, it’s not a sweep.

“We know she’d say Haliburton if it were Brunson or Hali though.”Hold up. There’s no proof Van Lith has ever even commented on Tyrese Haliburton, let alone compared him to Brunson. Her public interviews usually center on her own development, LSU/TCU days, or her current grind with the Sky. Let’s not invent feuds.

“Jalen Suggs locking up Brunson after seeing this vid.” Ah, yes—the boyfriend angle. Van Lith and Jalen Suggs are very publicly together, posting each other on IG and showing up in the other’s games. So when Van Lith said Brunson > everybody, fans instantly imagined Suggs asking, “So… what are we doing here?” But don’t worry—Suggs has already locked up tougher matchups than a metaphorical ego bruise. Also, NBA couples love drama that stays on social media.

“No way she thinks Brunson is better than SGA & ANT🤣😭” Look, Jalen Brunson is a beast. But SGA just carried OKC to a chip while putting up MVP-level numbers, and Anthony Edwards plays like he heard every MJ comparison and took it personally. In real terms, Brunson might not be “better,” but Van Lith’s take isn’t totally outrageous if she’s looking through the lens of clutch performances, leadership, or vibes. This wasn’t a scouting report—it was a vibe check.

Despite what Twitter thinks, the Chicago Sky believes in Hailey Van Lith. She’s on a rookie contract through 2028, drafted No. 11 overall, and is a big part of their core alongside Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso. There’s no talk from credible sources—ESPN, FOX Sports, Yardbarker—of any trade scenarios. Even Reddit, the rumor mill capital of the basketball internet, has come up dry outside of some 2023 “what if” purely speculative posts.

Performance-wise, Van Lith’s shooting has dipped (sub-33% in early games), and injuries haven’t helped. But she’s still adjusting, and the Sky aren’t tossing her aside over some clickbait. At the end of the day, Hailey Van Lith said what she said—and that was “Jalen Brunson,” again and again and again.

Is it weird? Kind of. Is it funny? Definitely. Is it a reason to think she’s plotting a move to New York? Not even close. What it is, though, is another reminder that Van Lith isn’t afraid to stir the pot, even unintentionally. And while she rehabs her ankle and waits to get back on the court, she’s giving fans something to talk about.

Whether it’s her surprising picks, her on-court grit, or the Suggs-Brunson crossover episode we never asked for, Hailey Van Lith continues to be a walking headline. And if the Chicago Sky can string together some wins soon, maybe that headline will be about her shot finally falling instead of her taste in NBA guards.