From Fever Fallout to Aces Glory: NaLyssa Smith’s Triumphant Redemption..
In a post-championship glow that lit up Las Vegas, NaLyssa Smith didn’t hold back. Fresh off the Aces’ dominant 4-0 sweep of the Phoenix Mercury to claim the 2025 WNBA title, the 25-year-old forward unleashed a pointed blast at her former team, the Indiana Fever. “They called me washed, said I had nothing left,” Smith revealed in a raw, emotional press conference on October 10, 2025, her voice steady but laced with fire. “Indiana let me down—cut my minutes, traded me like yesterday’s news. But look at us now.”
Smith’s journey from Baylor’s 2019 NCAA champion to WNBA stardom had been a whirlwind. Drafted second overall by the Fever in 2022, she dazzled as a rookie, earning All-Rookie honors with her explosive athleticism and rebounding prowess. But by 2024, frustrations boiled over. Reduced playing time amid the Caitlin Clark hype, whispers of “washed” from insiders, and a public spat with coach Christie Sides—fueled by her brother’s viral X rants—left her sidelined. “I felt invisible,” she later admitted. A January 2025 three-team trade shipped her to the Dallas Wings, then swiftly to the Aces, where A’ja Wilson and coach Becky Hammon saw untapped fire.
Adversity hit hard. Offseason injuries tested her resolve; online trolls amplified the doubt. Yet Smith channeled it into fuel. In Vegas, she averaged 14.2 points and 8.7 rebounds during the playoffs, her blocks sealing Game 4’s 97-86 clincher. “This ring? It’s mine,” she declared, hoisting the trophy. “For every doubter, every late-night gym session alone.”
Her brother Rodney echoed the sentiment online: “Christie Sides, I still wanna talk.” Fans erupted—Fever supporters stung, Aces faithful ecstatic. Smith’s story? A testament to resilience. From betrayal to breakthrough, she’s proof: the league’s fiercest warriors rise from the ashes.
