Former WNBA star Angel McCoughtry has drawn scrutiny for her recent comments about Chicago Sky rookie Hailey Van Lith, questioning whether the rookie’s social media following played a role in her draft selection. McCoughtry expressed doubts on a recent podcast interview, suggesting that Van Lith’s 1.3 million Instagram followers might have influenced the decision to select her in the WNBA draft.
Van Lith, who was one of the most-followed collegiate athletes, reportedly had a significant online presence that McCoughtry believes could have impacted her selection. During the interview, McCoughtry posed a thought-provoking question to her audience: Would Van Lith have been considered for the WNBA draft if she only had 10,000 followers? Although she acknowledged Van Lith as a decent player, she implied that there are other athletes with greater talent who were less popular.
Her comments sparked a wide range of reactions on social media, prompting McCoughtry to issue an apology. In an Instagram Live session, she clarified her intentions, stating,