NaLyssa Smith is having a breakout season for the Indiana Fever! Drafted 2nd overall in 2022, she has become a top rebounder and scorer with a huge improvement on defence. Can her strong play lead her to a WNBA All-Star selection? Read about Smith’s impressive season and her quest to make the All-Star team!
In a season that is bursting with potential to break out, NaLyssa Smith is Finding Her Stride with her co-stars. While she was a bit out of the lineup for her first time in the season Smith’s return to her early five has helped her get into a new mode.
NaLyssa Smith is Finding Her Stride
The No. 2 selection of the 2022 WNBA draft is among the top rebounders within the league, with seven Rebounds per game.
“I want to keep rebounding hard,” Smith stated. “I know I can be one of the desirable rebounders in this league.”
She is among the top 14 in the WNBA in field goal percentage, too, with her shots sinking 50.3% of the shots she takes. She is the highest in this category and has had nine games with 50% or more field goal percentages.
“We just really keep talking about paint touches,” coach Christie Sides said. “You’ve to be getting paint touches…If you happen to get an accidental paint stroke, that is all it takes to break up the defence. Particularly in light of the way BostonSmith] and [Boston] are playing. You must work on your areas, but this doesn’t mean you should play it safe and expect to take every shot. They create wide-open images.”
Smith’s scoring has proved to be a crucial factor in Indiana’s success this season. She’s scored double numbers in seven of Indiana’s wins. Her partnership together with the new guard Caitlin Clark, has helped increase the effectiveness of Indiana’s offense as she is able to benefit from Clark’s ability to lure diverse defensive players to the edge.
This is why Smith has the benefit of a greater number of post-game touches, completing 72 % of her shots near the rim and 59% of her shots inside 10 feet of the basketball.
“It’s been a focus for us as a group,” Clark stated. “We are looking to be capable of playing inside-out. We’re trying to get our posts in touch, so the better we are able to achieve that the better NaLyssa. ]…That’s the most effective shot you can get in basketball. This is the shot you want to achieve.”
Smith’s three double-doubles in the current season tied Clark for the second-highest number of double-doubles by a Fever player, just behind Boston’s five.
Smith has been a reliable offensive player on the ball. However, Smith also has many strengths on the defensive side too.
“I have been defensively challenged a lot this year,” Smith stated. “I took it as a challenge…I started taking defence a lot more seriously.”
Smith has a little over one block per game, an improvement after her first two seasons as a player. Smith’s total block count for the whole 2023 season was 10. Smith has already surpassed that number by securing 21 blocks over just 19 games during the season 2024.
Smith has hit 10 shots in the last seven games of the Fever in stark contrast to her block count just one season before.
As she climbs higher, Smith looks to play her way into the courts in Phoenix as part of the 2024 WNBA All-Stars. If she can continue her effective game, she has the chance to be a player in the All-Star frontcourt.
NaLyssa Smith is Finding Her Stride: Reminds Me of My Own Journey
I have always been an Indiana Fever fan, and this season has been incredibly exhilarating. Being able to watch NaLyssa Smith blossom into her own is extremely inspiring. In the beginning, there were difficulties, and she was not always the first to start. However, her commitment and dedication to her job have been rewarded.
A little bit of NaLyssa’s life story is a hit with me. In my own sports, I was also challenged at an early age. I was never the best athlete naturally.
However, I never gave up on advancing. Like NaLyssa, I stayed focused on areas where I could improve and worked hard to become the excellent teammate I could be as NaLyssa Smith is Finding Her Stride.
Seeing NaLyssa becoming the top rebounder and scoring on the Fever is awe-inspiring. Her improvement in defence is also amazing. It’s a wonderful reminder of how hard work and determination can take you to new heights.
I am excited about what the remainder of the season has in store for NaLyssa and the Fever! They are certainly a team to keep an eye on, and I have an idea that NaLyssa might play in Phoenix to play in this year’s WNBA All-Star match!
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