Lynx’s Alanna Smith: X-factor, all-defensive player, graduate student

NEW YORK – Two years before Alanna Smith grabbed the offensive rebound that set the stage for Courtney Williams’ four-point play in one of the most remarkable runs in WNBA history, Smith was at home in Australia and not even thinking about the competition.

The 6-foot-4 forward played the first nine games of the 2022 season with the Indiana Fever. The Fever released her in late May despite signing with Indiana in the offseason. The Fever squad was young and inexperienced, winning only five matches. Smith was only 25, but Indiana didn’t think her services were needed.

“I was thinking I wasn’t going to play in the W anymore,” Smith said. “I actually didn’t want to.”

But there Smith was Thursday night during the Minnesota Lynx’s eventual Game 1 WNBA Finals victory over the New York Liberty, taking the floor after a career season in which she made the All-Defensive second team. Before the opening tip, Smith, who says she is “self-reflective to a degree,” took in the scene. Before every match, she tries to remember her journey. “Two years ago you were sitting at home and not even thinking about the WNBA,” she said. “It’s a nice little reminder that anything can happen.”

Smith’s path has not been linear. But over the past two seasons, the six-year veteran’s growth has been dramatic. What’s even more impressive is that she’s performed to those standards — 10.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game on 39.8 percent 3-point shooting this season — while simultaneously juggling another commitment : high school.

This summer, Smith began a master’s degree in psychology, taking online classes at Australia’s Monash University. While playing for the Opals at the Paris Olympics, Smith took an intensive six-week course on the ethics of psychology. She learned about internal biases and how past experiences influence interactions while thinking about how to slow down A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart and Emma Meesseman.

More recently, Smith took a six-week statistics course. It ended Monday, just one day before the Lynx’s Game 5 semifinal victory over the Connecticut Sun. Her last assignment involved writing a journal manuscript interpreting a data set.

Alanna Smith started a master’s degree in psychology. Her statistics class ended a day before the Lynx’s Game 5 semifinal victory over the Connecticut Sun. (Joe Buglewicz/Getty Images)

Effective time management has been crucial for Smith, who honed his skills as a student at Stanford. She is studying while recovering at home. Lynx teammates note that she is always doing homework during flights or working on her tablet during bus rides. “I try to distract her from her homework to come and do things,” star player Napheesa Collier said. “Sometimes successfully, sometimes not.”

Smith, who wants to become a registered psychologist, said she doesn’t want to burden her teammates by asking them for help. But she did at least once late in the season.

“I’m good at statistics. I’m good at all subjects: math, reading, writing, science, whatever you need,” reserve guard Natisha Hiedeman told Smith.

“I told her I could have been her mentor,” Hiedeman added. How did Smith respond to her teammate’s suggestion?

“She wanted another one,” Hiedeman recalled.

One area where Smith rarely needs help is on defense.

That was part of what former Chicago Sky coach and general manager James Wade knew when he convinced Smith to return to the WNBA in 2023. Yes, Wade watched Smith average more than 20 points and nearly 10 rebounds per game while playing in Poland that winter. but he also saw her defensive versatility.

While out of the league, Smith believed she would never play in the WNBA again unless a roster spot was all but guaranteed. She didn’t want to risk moving to America for another short-term deal that could turn her life upside down again if something went wrong. “But (Wade) gave me a safe place,” she said. “He gave me security.” And in turn, the confidence to know she could thrive in the W.

Last season, after a bounce-back year in Chicago, Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve was similarly intrigued. She had seen Smith’s multi-dimensional game dating back to Smith’s time at the Cardinal. It helped that before signing Smith to a two-year deal this offseason, Collier told Reeve that Smith was one of the toughest players to compete against.

Minnesota’s defense relies on players moving on a string and scurrying around to close down driving lanes or potential open shooters. Smit has excelled. She ranks third in the league in defensive rating among players with more than 1,000 minutes this season. “I don’t worry about anything she does,” Reeve said. “There is instant confidence because her every move makes sense.”

Added Williams: “She defends the biggest, sometimes best player on the other team. She never complains. She is knocked down. Beaten up every other night, and she gives us 100 percent.”

Alanna Smith catches the two and finishes them at the basket 🫡#WNBAFinales presented by @YouTubeTV pic.twitter.com/JcnCg4D2S6

— WNBA (@WNBA) October 11, 2024

Against New York, Smith is largely tasked with slowing down star center Jonquel Jones. How she fares will be crucial to the rest of the series, which continues Sunday afternoon. Jones finished with 24 points and 10 rebounds in Game 1, but she was held to single digits in three of the four games as Minnesota advanced to the finals.

Smith said she approaches guarding Jones by breaking the game down into small moments, focusing on the small details with each possession. “For example, on this game I don’t let her touch the ball,” Smith said. “I’m going to box this part very, very hard. If I can reduce the impact, I think that’s a win for me.” Reeve said Smith’s impact has been underestimated. Still, she emphasized after Game 1 that the forward’s impact is a major reason Minnesota is up 1-0 in the finals.

Smith focuses on the task at hand. But that doesn’t mean there won’t be a new commitment in the future. “I still have two weeks before my next class starts,” Smith said.

Just enough time to reset, refresh and possibly win a WNBA championship.

(Top photo of Bridget Carleton, Napheesa Collier, Alanna Smith and Courtney Williams: Pamela Smith / Associated Press)