Smith Finding Her Stride
Together with her three co-stars, NaLyssa Smith is finding her footing in a season that is bursting with breakthrough potential. Despite starting the season outside of the starting lineup, Smith’s return to the starting five has allowed her to step up to a new level. With seven rebounds per game, the No. 2 pick in the 2022 WNBA draft ranks among the league’s top-16 rebounders. That is fewer than one rebound per game behind Aliyah Boston, the team leader for Indiana. Smith declared, “I want to keep rebounding hard.” “I’m confident that I can rank among this league’s top rebounders.” With a 50.3 percent field goal percentage, she is among the top 14 players in the WNBA. She is the top-ranked player for the Fever.Coach Christie Sides stated, “We just really keep talking about paint touches.” “You must apply paint touches.A paint touch simply brings down the defense. Particularly considering how [Smith] and [Boston] are performing down there. It’s not enough to merely beat them and hope they get every shot; you also need to play through your posts. They merely produce a wide-open look. With double digits in scoring in six of Indiana’s seven games this season, Smith’s offense has been a key component of the team’s success. Because she feeds off of rookie guard Caitlin Clark’s ability to pull several defenders to the perimeter, her rapport with Clark is increasing Indiana’s offensive effectiveness. Thus, Smith is the one who benefits.
