SAN ANTONIO – Indiana Fever forward NaLyssa Smith was expected to have a breakout year three in the WNBA. However, after Smith’s lackluster performance in the Fever’s first playoff appearance since 2016 — Smith’s future seems uncertain.
Smith, an East Central High School alumni, averaged 10.6 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and 0.8 steals in 24.8 minutes per game in 2024.
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In a candid post on X, the former No. 2 overall pick out of Baylor in the 2022 WNBA Draft reflected on her third season.
During the regular season, the Fever star seemed unsatisfied at times with how she was being utilized within Indiana’s system based on now-deleted social media posts. In the season’s final stretch, Smith saw her playing time decline.
Smith’s third year was capped off with a head-scratching performance in the Fever’s first-round playoff series against the Connecticut Sun.
The Sun won the series 2-0. In those two games, Smith started one game and came off the bench in the other, playing just 6.5 minutes across both outings. Smith grabbed two boards and had 0.5 blocks and 0.5 steals.
“I could’ve never imagined my third year to go like this,” Smith said in the post. “I know there’s a lesson in every loss.”
In the same paragraph on X, Smith shared her appreciation for her Fever teammates for picking her up and brightening her day while they knew what she was going through behind the scenes.
This offseason, Indiana awarded Smith, following a standout sophomore season, by picking up her fourth-year option — which is fully protected.
According to Spotrac, Smith will make $80,943 for the 2024 season. Smith’s salary in 2025 will go up to $91,981.
However, there are a few ways Smith’s contract with Indiana could be negated via expansion draft or trade. The two sides could also agree to a contract divorce.
And after her long and candid post on X — fans believe her time in Indiana could be coming to an end.
“I’ll never be perfect, and y’all shouldn’t expect me to be perfect,” Smith said. “But, I’ll always work to be as close to perfect as I can be.
Smith went on to thank her family for being there for her without any judgment but added that she had to repeatedly tell them not to pay attention to social media.
