NaLyssa Smith's Honest Fever Playoff Opponent Admission Turns Heads

Indiana Fever fans don't have to think too far back when recalling when NaLyssa Smith was supposed to be a key part of their franchise's turnaround after being bottom dwellers in the WNBA standings for most of the past decade. Indiana selected Smith with the No. 2 pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft after her very successful college career at Baylor. And Smith showed a lot of promise during her first two seasons with the team, including averaging 15.5 points and 9.3 rebounds per game during her sophomore 2023 campaign. Because of this, many thought Smith would take another step forward in 2024, especially because she would be receiving passes from rookie superstar guard Caitlin Clark. Things didn't turn out that way. Smith's 10.6 points per game in 2024 were the lowest of her career at that point, and she couldn't find a consistent role within the Fever's new look offense with Clark running point. What's more, Smith seemed disconnected and even discontent in Indiana, which sparked some frustration from the fan base.