Smith Finding Her Stride
NaLyssa is finding her groove with her co-stars in a season that has so much breakout potential. Smith was not in the lineup at the beginning of the season. However, her return to the top five has allowed her to reach a higher gear.
By Madie Chandler | FeverBasketball.com
The No. The No. 2 pick for the WNBA 2022 draft is a top-16 league rebounder, grabbing 7 rebounds per match. Aliyah Boston, Indiana’s leader in rebounds per game, is only a few rebounds behind her.
Smith stated, “I’m going to keep doing my best to rebound.” “I can be among the best rebounders of this league,” Smith said.
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She is also ranked among the top-14 players in the WNBA for field goal percentage. She has made 50.3 percent of all her shots. She is the Fever’s top player on this metric and has nine games where she had a field goal percentage of 50 percent or higher.
Coach Christie Sides stated, “We keep talking about the paint touches.” “You have to get paint touches…If a paint contact is made, the defense collapses.” Particularly with the way that [Boston] is playing and [Smith] down there. You have to play through the posts. That doesn’t mean you should just beat them and expect to get every shot. “They just create wide-open looks.”
Smith’s offensive game has played a key role in Indiana’s success this season. She’s reached double figures in each of Indiana’s victories. She thrives on the ability of rookie guard Caitlin Clark to attract multiple defenders. Smith has benefited from increased touches in the post, as she is able to hit 72 percent of shots at the rim, and 59 per cent of shots within 10 feet.
Clark stated that it was a priority for the group. “We want the ability to play from the inside out. We want our posts to be touched, and the more that we can do this the better it will be for [NaLyssa ]…That is the highest percentage shot of basketball. “That’s the shot that you want.”
Smith’s triple double-doubles in this season are tied with Clark’s for the second most by a Fever, behind Boston’s 5. Smith is a great offensive weapon, but she also does a good job on defense.
Smith stated that he has been challenged in a number of ways this year. “I saw it as a test…I began to take defense more seriously.”
She averages a little over one block per match, a figure that has improved since her first two seasons in the league. Smith’s total block count for the 2023 season was only 10. She has already doubled this mark, with 21 blocks in just 19 games of the 2024 season. Smith has blocked 10 shots in the Fever’s final seven games, a dramatic change from her previous block totals.
Smith is looking to continue her ascent and play her way to the court with the WNBA All-Stars in Phoenix, 2024. She can be considered for the All-Star Frontcourt if she keeps up her excellent play.