In the electrifying glow of Gainbridge Fieldhouse, where cheers once echoed equally for all, NaLyssa Smith felt the chill of sidelining. The Indiana Fever’s 2024 season exploded into frenzy with rookie sensation Caitlin Clark’s arrival—a sharpshooting phenom whose every crossover drew sold-out crowds and national headlines. But for Smith, the No. 2 pick of 2022, the magic soured into marginalization.
Drafted as a cornerstone forward, Smith’s rebounding prowess and tenacious defense had anchored the Fever through lean years. Yet, as Clark’s supernova orbit pulled in Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell, Smith’s minutes dwindled. From starter to benchwarmer, she averaged just 22.7 minutes per game, her scoring dipping to 10.7 points amid whispers of “role adjustment.” Off-court, the pressure mounted: fans fixated on Clark’s narrative, sidelining veterans like Smith in promotional graphics and media spotlights.
The breaking point came post-playoff exit against the Connecticut Sun. In a raw X post, Smith bared her soul: “I’ve never questioned my basketball abilities… but all the shit I went thru it neva stopped me from working.” She lamented the “rough times,” veiled jabs at a franchise reshaping around its golden girl. Rumors swirled of locker-room rifts, amplified by her girlfriend DiJonai Carrington’s viral eye-poke jest at Clark—drawing death threats and fan vitriol that Smith defended fiercely: “If sending her flowers… then coo cry about it.”
By October, Smith scrubbed “Indiana Fever” from her bio, igniting trade speculation. Analysts like Scott Agness predicted her exit, citing unhappiness with her diminished role. “You know NaLyssa Smith was not happy,” Agness noted, echoing the human toll of Clark’s “Caitlin-fication” of the team.
In a league craving stars, Smith’s critique underscores a harsh truth: rising tides don’t always lift all boats. As the Fever chase titles with Clark at the helm, Smith’s story warns of the veterans eclipsed in the glare. Traded to the Las Vegas Aces by mid-2025, she rebuilds, vowing, “YALL WILL SEE!!” Her voice, once drowned, now demands equity in the spotlight.
