Meet Hailey Van Lith’s Ex-Boyfriend Jalen Suggs, An Orlando Magic Player, As Chicago Sky Waives Her

Hailey Van Lith is a well-known American professional basketball player. She had a successful college career, having played for teams like the Louisville Cardinals, the LSU Tigers, and the TCU Horned Frogs. Her professional career began after she was selected as the 11th overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft by the Chicago Sky. 

However, it has been reported that Hailey has been waived by the Chicago Sky ahead of the regular season. The team took to social media to announce the same on Monday, May 4, 2026. According to ESPN’s Kendra Andrews, Hailey was waived because of the Sky’s “style of play preference.” Now that Hailey is in the spotlight, if you have become curious about her personal life, let us introduce you to her ex-boyfriend, Jalen Suggs. 

Jalen Suggs is from Minnesota 

According to reports, Jalen Suggs was born in St. Paul, Minnesota. He attended the Minnehaha Academy in Minneapolis. A few years back, in February 2023, Jalen returned to his high school to retire his Minnehaha Redhawks jerseys, not only for basketball, but also for football. As per The Minnesota Star Tribune, Jalen wore the No. 1 jersey for both teams. It is worth noting that Jalen became the first athlete in Minnesota State history to win the Mr. Football and Mr. Basketball awards in the same year. 

Jalen Suggs plays for the Orlando Magic

Jalen Suggs currently plays as a shooting guard for the Orlando Magic. He was selected as the fifth overall pick by the team during the 2021 NBA Draft. Later, during the event’s press conference, when Jalen was asked what his long-term goal was when it comes to basketball, the athlete confessed that he wanted to be a “champion and a contributing role on a championship team.” He added: 

“That’s it for me, that’s the peak of the mountaintop. Being able to have a parade with the city, everyone on the team celebrates together. Thinking of that brings me happiness and gets me excited. For me, that’s the peak of the mountaintop.”

Last year, in March 2026, it was reported that Jalen would not be able to play for the remaining portion of the regular season as well as the postseason. This is because he underwent arthroscopic surgery to remove a cartilage fragment in his left knee. Apparently, at the time, a mosaicplasty was also performed on him. 

It is worth mentioning that before he joined the Orlando Magic, Jalen used to play for the Gonzaga Bulldogs. In 2021, he even made headlines for his “miracle shot.” Additionally, Jalen played a significant role during an NCAA Final Four game against the UCLA Bruins, and led his team to victory by scoring a three-point “buzzer beater.” 

Jalen Suggs sparked romance rumours with Hailey Van Lith when he posted a picture of them together 

It was in 2021 that Jalen Suggs and Hailey Van Lith first sparked rumours of a romance. If a report by TMZ is to be believed, at the time, Jalen posted a photo of himself and his then-girlfriend, Hailey, on his official Instagram account. What caught everyone’s attention was the caption of the post, which read, “Yea, we solid on this end,” leading fans to believe that the pair were an item. Although it is worth noting that neither Hailey nor Jalen confirmed that they were dating. 

Jalen Suggs went viral for his March Madness moment with his then-girlfriend, Hailey’s father

During the 2025 March Madness, Jalen Suggs and Hailey’s father, who were both watching her play for the Horned Frogs, had a pretty viral moment. For those unaware, after Hailey managed to score a three-pointer against Notre Dame, her father, Corey and Jalen celebrated by doing a triumphant chest bump. Speaking about her reaction to her dad and her boyfriend’s excitement being caught on camera, Hailey told People on the orange carpet at the WNBA’s 2025 Draft, “Literally cover my eyes, shaking my head.” But she soon clarified: 

“No, I love it. It’s totally their personalities, and I’m so glad that the world gets to see their joy and passion. But yeah, sometimes I get embarrassed daughter vibes, but I’m going to let him do him, for sure.”

Jalen Suggs and Hailey Van Lith confirmed their relationship by sharing a kiss when the latter was drafted

Photo Credit: Total Pro Sports

Hailey and Jalen confirmed that they were together on April 14, 2025. They did this by sharing a kiss during that year’s WNBA Draft when Hailey was selected by the Chicago Sky. It did not take long for the clip of the duo celebrating together to go viral on social media and become a major talking point among fans. 

Jalen Suggs is a gold medalist 

According to a report by People, Jalen Suggs is a gold medalist with USA Basketball. He reportedly won at the 2019 FIBA U19 World Cup, the 2018 FIBA U17 World Cup, and the 2017 FIBA Americas U16 Championship. In June 2019, right before that year’s Basketball World Cup, Jalen told USA Basketball: 

“To be able to put USA across your chest three times, three times you go to try out would be crazy. To be picked among the 12 best people in the country to represent the United States, a complete blessing, I’d be thankful.”

What are your thoughts on Hailey Van Lith’s ex-boyfriend, Jalen Suggs? Let us know. 

Also read: Loni Willison Met Ex-Husband, Jeremy Jackson At 19, Inside Their Love Story, Life After Messy Split

Photos Credit: Jalen Suggs/IG