Las Vegas Aces forward NaLyssa Smith will miss the remainder of the season due to a left leg injury, the team announced Thursday. Aside from noting that it was a non-contact injury, the team did not provide any specifics. It's unclear whether Smith will need surgery or what her recovery timeline looks like.
Smith, who arrived in Las Vegas last June via a trade with the Dallas Wings, helped the Aces win their third title in four years last season. Through 38 games this season, she was averaging 11.7 points and 6.4 rebounds on a career-high 63.8% shooting. Smith suffered the injury in the third quarter of the Aces' win over the Toronto Tempo on Sunday.
With just over three minutes remaining in the frame, Smith was out on the fastbreak when Jackie Young threw her a pass. Smith jumped to catch the ball, and when she landed, her left leg immediately buckled. Smith collapsed and began slapping the court with one hand while holding her leg with the other.
She was eventually helped off the court and could not put any weight on her left leg. Smith flies under the radar on an Aces team that boasts four-time MVP A'ja Wilson, as well as Young and Chelsea Gray. Even coach Becky Hammon is better known nationally, but Smith has been integral to the team's success since arriving from Dallas ahead of the trade deadline last season.
The Aces have been notoriously short on depth in the last few seasons, particularly in the frontcourt. Smith helped change that. Though she's never lived up to the hype that made her the No. 2 pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft, Smith has thrived in a complementary role alongside Wilson.
Rather than forcing jumpers or trying to make plays off the dribble, as she did early in her career, Smith became an elite cutter and offensive rebounder who finished extremely efficiently in the paint. Smith shot 60.8% off cuts, and her 108 points on such plays ranked fourth in the league prior to her injury. She was also ninth in the league in offensive rebounds per game at 2.2 and 18th in overall rebounds per game.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
