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Indiana Fever forward NaLyssa Smith (1) wipe her face Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Indiana Fever defeated the Dallas Wings, 110-109.
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Indiana Fever forward NaLyssa Smith (1) wipe her face Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Indiana Fever defeated the Dallas Wings, 110-109.
While Caitlin Clark is spending her offseason playing golf, Angel Reese is eagerly anticipating her debut at Unrivaled. But this isn’t the typical option available to WNBA players during the offseason—many still go overseas to continue honing their skills. Such is the case with the Indiana Fever’s standout NaLyssa Smith.
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As soon as the season ended, she took a flight to play in the Women’s Chinese Basketball Association, having inked a deal with the Zhejiang Golden Bulls. Staying true to the Fever’s legacy, she has been dominant overseas as well. “I gotta teach ’em what a travel is, dawg,” Indiana Fever’s forward posted on X, following a near-dramatic exchange with one of her opponents.
The No. 2 overall pick from the 2022 draft, Smith, during a recent preseason game, donning her usual #1 jersey and signature headband, was involved in a minor scuffle after receiving a slight shove from an opposing player as one of her teammates attempted a three-pointer.
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The former Baylor Bears star grabbed the ball and threw it at her opponent. But in case you’re wondering if her opponent let it go—she didn’t. In fact, she responded with an even harder throw, sparking a brief confrontation. As tensions rose, teammates quickly stepped in to prevent further escalation.
This was just a glimpse of Smith’s gameplay.
i gotta teach em what a travel is dawg 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 https://t.co/hLqXe0m6j4
— #1 (@NaLyssaSmith) November 7, 2024
According to Dallas Wings center Kalani Brown, Smith was issued seven technical fouls during the game. “7 technicals & a potential fight in a pre-season game. The Chinese some crash outs fr” penned Lani (Kalani Brown) on X, with a couple of laughing emojis. But Smith would really look to focus on her game and improvement given past season’s dip in numbers.
NaLyssa Smith’s WNBA stats have been slipping
The Indiana Fever forward, now in her third season with the team, had her worst statistical output of her WNBA career in 2024, averaging only 10.6 points and 7.1 rebounds per game despite playing in 37 of the Fever’s 40 regular-season games. These stats might seem standard until you compare them with her 2023 scoring average of 15.5 points.
It’s understandable, then, that former coach Christie Sides didn’t utilize her as much in the postseason. This led to her minutes per game decreasing from 25 in the regular season to just 13 during the playoffs.
Well, Smith isn’t going anywhere this season—it’s the final year of her four-season, $318,649 rookie deal with the Indiana Fever. As for her time in the WCBA, this recent altercation occurred during a preseason game. The official season opener for the league will be on November 15 in Sichuan.
Written by
Edited by
Shivatmika Manvi