REPORT: NaLyssa Smith’s Frustration with Her Role in Indiana Fever Amid Christie Sides’ New Vision…
NaLyssa Smith has expressed her dissatisfaction with her role on the Indiana Fever since the arrival of Caitlin Clark. Her recent social media activity, particularly a “like” criticizing head coach Christie Sides, makes her feelings clear.
The third-year forward desires more playing time and involvement. Smith, who was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft after being a First-Team All-American at Baylor, averaged 13.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 30.7 minutes over 32 games as a rookie. Last year, she improved her averages to 15.5 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 28.5 minutes over 31 games.
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Despite her strong individual stats, Smith was part of a struggling team that earned the No. 1 overall pick in consecutive years following her selection. She was a standout player on a team with few bright spots.
This season has brought changes with Aliyah Boston in her second year and Clark’s arrival. Smith’s stats have declined to 9.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 0.8 assists in just 22 minutes per game over the first eight games. This drop doesn’t fully capture her limited playing time in recent games—only 12 minutes in a win over the Sparks on May 24 and 19 minutes in each of the last two games, scoring just three points on Tuesday night.
Fans are divided on Smith’s situation. Some argue that a player who nearly averaged a double-double in 2023 should be starting in 2024, attributing her slight decline to a small sample size and noting her impressive moments. Others believe her past success was due to the poor quality of the team around her and point out her defensive lapses and early-season turnover issues.
Coach Sides seems to think Smith is better off the bench, but Smith’s social media activity suggests she disagrees. With Indiana at 1-7, the only win came when Smith had minimal playing time, further complicating the situation. As the season progresses, it will be interesting to see how Sides manages her roster to maintain player satisfaction, including Smith’s.
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