‘Winning is fun’: NaLyssa Smith shining in Aces’ playoff run

SEATTLE — You could hear players NaLyssa Smith and A’ja Wilson and coach Becky Hammon joking and laughing in the hallway as they made their way toward the media room following the Aces’ postseason opener Sunday night at Michelob Ultra Arena.

The 102-77 score in Game 1 of the best-of-three first-round WNBA playoffs series against the Seattle Storm didn’t quite tell the story of how exciting the Aces looked on both ends of the court. The same was true for Smith’s stat line of 11 points and nine rebounds.

It put the 6-foot-4-inch forward one rebound shy of the description Aces president Nikki Fargas offered when the organization gave up a first-round pick to acquire her from the Dallas Wings at the end of June: a “walking double-double,” who could provide the necessary consistency to help power a run in the playoffs and serve as a building block for the future.

Smith didn’t waste any time showing she could meet that expectation. She illustrated her ability to take offensive pressure off Wilson, the reigning league MVP, and earned a spot in the starting lineup over veteran forward Kiah Stokes after just one game.

Now, Smith is able to relish the role and the success that’s coming with it.

“Oh, I am,” Smith said Sunday in response to a question that asserted she looks like she’s having the time of her life with the Aces amid their ongoing 17-game win streak that set a franchise record and helped them secure the No. 2 playoffs seed.

“Honestly, winning is fun,” Smith continued. “When winning is a standard, it raises your level. Your will to win. So just being surrounded by such big players, big coaches, I won’t take this opportunity for granted.”

It’s no surprise that Smith values the victories. Sunday was the first playoff win of her career. She saw just five total wins in her rookie season with the Indiana Fever after being drafted second overall in 2022 out of Baylor. She missed the postseason again in 2023, then got a taste of the playoffs in 2024 when Caitlin Clark led the Fever to a first-round matchup that saw them shut out by the Connecticut Sun.

The Aces don’t take Smith for granted, either. They were 8-8 when they signed her, and have gone 22-6 since. Smith missed only one of those games, a win over the Chicago Sky that Hammon said she was “irritated” that Smith wouldn’t be available for due to the league’s concussion protocol stepping in after she went down hard in a win over the Minnesota Lynx.

Defensive edge

Smith’s defense has come a long way, helping to set the tone for the Aces on Sunday as she recorded two first-quarter blocks in a dominant Aces’ start. The first rejection was over veteran Storm forward Nneka Ogwumike, and the other deflated 6-6 rookie Dominique Malonga.

Smith’s early defensive presence was so important that Hammon interrupted her opening postgame comments to directly commend her.

“When we play defense, we become very difficult to beat,” Hammon said, before turning to Smith for an aside. “Your post defense — how much am I on you about defense all the time? She just keeps getting better and better at what we’re asking her to do.”

When asked what she was most proud of about her defense Sunday, Smith let out an expletive that sent Wilson and Hammon back into laughter.

“S —-. All of it. For real,” Smith said as she tried to remain composed. “I had zero fouls. That’s unheard of.”

Wilson, who Smith calls her GOAT and said she’s admired since college, added that Smith’s effort was “so key” for the Aces on Sunday.

“To know that someone’s gonna be that second and third layer in action of defense for you, you never feel like you’re on an island,” Wilson said. “She’s just always out there doing the little things at the right time.”

Wilson was seen offering Smith tips during a stoppage in play as the Aces played the Wings in a preseason game. On Sunday, Wilson expressed satisfaction with Smith continuing to be coachable.

“It’s been tons of fun to just grow alongside (Smith). She’s helped me lead her and teach her, and that’s something I hold near and dear to my heart. I think on the court, you see that,” Wilson said. “She knows how to get to her spots, and I think she’s always ready for the moment.”

Contact Callie Fin at cfin@reviewjournal.com. Follow @CallieJLaw on X.