Several WNBA players are spending their offseason playing internationally, including Indiana Fever stars Kelsey Mitchell and NaLyssa Smith, who are competing in China’s Women’s Chinese Basketball Association (WCBA). Mitchell is playing for the Shanxi Flame, while Smith has joined the Zhejiang Golden Bulls. During a recent WCBA preseason game, Smith, the No. 2 pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft, was involved in a minor altercation with an opponent.
The incident began when Smith, wearing her usual No. 1 jersey and signature headband, was nudged by an opposing player after a teammate made a three-point shot. In response, Smith grabbed the ball and threw it at her opponent. The other player retaliated with a harder throw, leading to a brief standoff between them. Teammates quickly intervened to separate the players, preventing the conflict from escalating further.
Dallas Wings center Kalani Brown, who was Smith’s teammate at Baylor, noted that the game saw seven technical fouls, likely stemming from the scuffle. Smith is coming off a challenging season with the Indiana Fever, where she posted her lowest stats since entering the league, averaging 10.6 points and 7.1 rebounds across all 40 regular-season games.
Despite her solid minutes during the regular season, Smith saw limited action in the playoffs, logging just 13 minutes over two games against the Connecticut Sun in the first round. Fever coach Christie Sides opted to reduce her playing time, sparking questions about Smith’s role and future with the team.
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Smith will enter the final season of her four-year rookie contract, worth $318,649, with Indiana in 2025, after the team exercised her option in April. However, her future in Indianapolis remains uncertain, as she may be considering other opportunities following the 2024 season.
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