NaLyssa Smith longs for "my old ladyyy" DiJonai Carrington in touching post after China move

Indiana Fever star NaLyssa Smith is taking her talents to China. The talented forward recently signed with Zhejiang in the WCBA and is set to spend the WNBA offseason in China.

Smith will likely earn a big salary with her new team, but she is already missing some aspects of her life back in the United States.

On Sunday, she shared an image featuring her alongside DiJonai Carrington, with a touching message for her girlfriend.

"miss'n my old ladyyy," wrote Smith

NaLyssa Smith shares a photo alongside her girlfriend DiJonai Carrington. Photo Credit: NaLyssa Smith's IG account

The special message and photo were posted to the music of rapper Rod Wave's track "Fall Fast in Love."

Smith and Carrington were teammates together at Baylor University and have reportedly been together since 2022. Carrington was drafted to the WNBA in 2021 and Smith followed the following year. Their relationship has grown stronger over the last two years with the couple regularly spotted spending time together.

NaLyssa Smith was a top prospect coming out of Baylor and was the second overall pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft. She was a member of the talented 2024 Indiana Fever team that included stars like Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, Aliyah Boston and Lexie Hull.

Last season, Indiana finished with a 20-20 record to qualify for the postseason for the first time since 2016. When the Fever were matched up with the Connecticut Sun in the playoffs, Smith and Carrington faced each other as opponents. Connecticut went on to win the first-round series to eliminate the Indiana Fever.

This is not the first time that Smith has gone abroad to play professionally. The Texas native previously had a stint with Galatasaray in Turkey. She played 31 games for the club in the Turkish league and the EuroCup tournament.

NaLyssa Smith was grateful for girlfriend DiJonai Carrington's support during demanding WNBA season

Indiana Fever forward NaLyssa Smith rushes up the court at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Photo Credit: Imagn

Following a strong season, NaLyssa Smith has some time to reflect on a demanding year. In a video released on the Indiana Fever's X account, the 24-year-old spoke about the highs and lows that came along with a memorable campaign.

Asked what helped keep her mentally strong during a difficult season, Smith credited girlfriend DiJonai Carrington, along with others, for supporting her along the way.

"My family, my girlfriend, my friends, my teammates. That is probably the biggest thing that helped me this year ... those are my big support group," said Smith.

The WNBA offseason is now under way with the league set to restart in May, 2025. Smith has one year remaining on her rookie contract with the Indiana Fever and is expected to return to the team next season.