NaLyssa Smith credits girlfriend DiJonai Carrington for support during rollercoaster season with Indiana Fever

Indiana Fever forward NaLyssa Smith reflected on her third season in the WNBA in a video shared on the team's X account. Smith touched on various topics, discussing how she maintained mental strength while navigating the season’s ups and downs.

The former Baylor standout credited her girlfriend DiJonai Carrington, along with others, for providing constant support throughout her rollercoaster season.

"My family, my girlfriend, my friends, my teammates, that's probably the biggest thing that helped me this year," Smith said. "You know, when you're going through a lot of highs and lows, you gotta have people to lean on. So those are my big support group."

NaLyssa Smith played a key role in helping the Indiana Fever return to the playoffs after an eight-year absence. The star forward averaged 10.6 points per game and surpassed 1,000 career points in the WNBA. She also set a career-high in blocked shots, recording 39.

Smith's season took a disappointing turn in the playoffs, where she saw limited playing time in the two games against her girlfriend Carrington's Connecticut Sun. After starting in 37 of 40 regular-season games for the Fever, Smith was benched in Game 2 of the playoffs, which ended up being Indiana's final game of the season.

Despite not receiving the minutes she had hoped for, the Fever forward expressed gratitude for making the playoffs.

"Since I've been here, it's always just to get better, and so we were fortunate enough to make the playoffs this year," Smith continued. "Even just being there, it was huge for us just to say we were there as a young team, you know, it just shows, what our future holds."

NaLyssa Smith talks about defining her basketball legacy

NaLyssa Smith also shared her thoughts on how she wants to be remembered as a basketball player. While acknowledging that there’s still much more for her to achieve, Smith said she wants to be known as someone who rose from humble beginnings and made it to the top.

"I want to be known for the player that pushed through everything and, you know, made it to the top," Smith said. "You know, I have so much more to accomplish. It's only my third year, and that's what I always try to, you know, so just the player that, you know, came and conquered."

NaLyssa Smith has one year left on her rookie contract with the Indiana Fever, but it remains to be seen whether the forward will return to the franchise next season.