The Connecticut Sun activated standout guard Leila Lacan on Thursday and in a corresponding move waived 2025 first-round pick Hailey Van Lith.
Lacan, an Olympic silver medalist with France and a former Associated Press All-Rookie Team selection, is expected to make her season debut Saturday, when Connecticut hosts the Los Angeles Sparks in Hartford.
Sources told ESPN that Van Lith is grateful to the Sun for their transparency and the opportunity and remains motivated to carry forward the momentum from her time with the team.
Lacan, the Sun's pick at No. 10 in the 2024 draft, has returned from the 2026 La Boulangère Wonderligue, where she won a championship with Basket Landes and was selected as finals MVP. She averaged 10.4 points, 3.7 assists, 2.4 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game in 2025 with Connecticut and was a massive boost for the Sun upon her midseason arrival last year. She appeared in just 25 of their 44 games, but the team won two games without her and nine with her in its 11-33 season.
Van Lith, who previously starred collegiately at Louisville, LSU and TCU, was selected by the Chicago Sky last year with the 11th overall draft pick. She averaged 3.5 points in 12.4 minutes during her rookie campaign but was limited to 29 games as she dealt with an ankle injury.
Connecticut picked up the former All-American and Big 12 Player of the Year after she was waived by the Sky just before the start to this season. She averaged 8.1 points and 2.2 assists per game, making three starts for the 1-8 Sun.
ESPN's Kendra Andrews contributed to this report.
