By Madie Chandler | FeverBasketball.com
In a season oozing with breakout potential, NaLyssa Smith is finding her stride alongside her trio of co-stars. Though she found herself outside of the starting lineup early in the season, Smith’s return to the first five has helped her reach a new gear.
The No. 2 pick in the 2022 WNBA draft is a top-16 rebounder in the league, grabbing seven rebounds per game. That trails Indiana’s team-leader Aliyah Boston by less than one rebound per game.
“I want to keep rebounding hard,” Smith said. “I know I can be one of the best rebounders in this league.”
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She sits among the top-14 in the WNBA in field goal percentage, too, sinking 50.3 percent of her shots. She is the Fever’s highest ranking player by this metric, and has recorded nine games with 50 percent or greater field goal percentage.
“We just really keep talking about paint touches,” coach Christie Sides said. “You’ve got to get paint touches…If you get a paint touch, it just collapses the defense. Especially with the way [Boston] and [Smith] are playing down there. You’ve got to play through your posts, and that’s not saying you just beat it in expecting them to get every shot. They just create wide open looks.”
Smith’s offense has been a major piece in Indiana’s successes this season – she’s scored in double figures in six of Indiana’s seven victories. Her synergy with rookie guard Caitlin Clark is boosting the efficiency of Indiana’s offense, as she thrives off of Clark’s ability to draw multiple defenders to the perimeter. As a result, Smith is the beneficiary of increased post touches, hitting 72 percent of her shots at the rim and 59 percent of her shots within 10 feet of the basket.
“It’s been a focus for us as a group,” Clark said. “We want to be able to play inside-out. We want to get our posts touches, and the more we can do that the better for [NaLyssa]…That’s the highest percentage shot in basketball. That’s the shot you want to get.”
Smith’s three double-doubles this season tie Clark for second-most by a Fever player, behind Boston’s five. She’s been an efficient weapon on the offensive side of the ball, but Smith pulls her weight on the defensive end as well.
“I’ve been challenged a lot this year defensively,” Smith said. “I took it as a challenge…I started taking defense a lot more seriously.”
She averages just over a block per contest – a mark that’s seen improvement following her first two years in the league. Smith’s block total for the entire 2023 season was just 10. She’s already doubled that mark with 21 blocks through just 19 games in the 2024 season. Smith has swatted 10 shots over the Fever’s last seven games – a stark contrast from her block totals just one season ago.
As she continues to ascend, Smith looks to play her way onto the court in Phoenix with the 2024 WNBA All-Stars. If she continues her efficient play, she has a case to be included in the All-Star frontcourt.