NaLyssa Smith has addressed speculation surrounding her Indiana Fever future as well as the hate aimed towards her partner DiJonai Carrington.
The Fever power forward sent social media ablaze with her post after Indiana saw their WNBA season end in the first round of the playoffs by the Las Vegas Aces . And the press conference after the Fever’s season was finished saw the questions center around her future.
Smith was asked about her recent post on X where she appeared to thank the Fever fans for their support after she was drafted by Indiana in 2022 as the second overall pick. “I’ve been hearing that a lot but I didn’t think it was a goodbye, more so just me appreciating all the people who helped me get through this season and just helping me keep my mental health straight,” she said.
“I just put ‘I don’t know what the future holds’ because in this league so many players jump around and get traded. I could’ve said the same thing last year, this year, I don’t know what my future holds.”
The post in question from Smith ended with the following thank you to her fans, she wrote: “My fans!!! thank yall for seeing the good in me and always having my back on social media and making me feel loved when yall see me."
Adding about her next step, Smith added: “There was so much negative but so much more positive!!! regardless of anything that happens in my future i hope yall continue to rock with the kid!! all i eva wanted to do was jus hoop & show the world who i am but trust me, YALL WILL SEE!!”
Smith was also questioned how she has dealt with the noise and abuse off-court, including racism, hate and the attention on her and her partner, Connecticut Sun star Carrington, while still taking to the court and performing. “I’m the type of person where I just put a lot of stuff to the side and try to keep the main thing, the main thing,” referring to basketball.
She added: “So I don’t try and get too deep into the other side of things because I know at the end of the day I’m just here to play basketball. There’s only so much you can say when you’re here.”
Smith’s comments come after she posted a lengthy message on her X account after the Fever were knocked out of the WNBA Playoffs in the first round. A section of her post saw her send an unwavering message on her basketball ability. “I’ve never questioned my basketball abilities in my life because i know im good enough & i know i belong,” she wrote.
“Do I have s---to improve on absolutely I’ll never be perfect and y'all shouldn’t expect me to be perfect but I’ll always work to be as close to perfect as I can be. that’s the thing about me is regardless of all the shit I went thru it never stopped me from working because i know who I am.”
Smith also added a message to her family, which included her mentioning that she urged her loved ones not to be on social media amid the toxic comments surrounding her. “My family thank y'all every single day for the long talks, the long messages, hearing me out, & giving me a shoulder to cry on without judgement because yall know who i am as a person and not just as some basketball player. Even though yall pissed me off everyday because i told yall to get the hell off social media lol i know it was never outta spite and was yall just tryna protect me and show the world who I really am.”
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