As the Las Vegas Aces prepare for the WNBA playoffs, which begin Sunday, they have had to do so without starting forward NaLyssa Smith after she suffered a season-ending injury against the Toronto Tempo last month.
The Aces announced Aug. 27 that Smith would miss the remainder of the season after sustaining a non-contact left leg injury that forced her out of the game in the third quarter.
For Smith, it marked the first major injury of her career. But rather than focus on what she couldn’t control, she has tried to use her unexpected time away from the court as an opportunity to grow outside of basketball.
“Honestly, my mindset is, ‘It’s just your turn to go through it,’” Smith said. “Everybody goes through injuries. Everybody goes through hardships, so I think it’s just my time to grow as a person, grow spiritually, grow relationship-wise, just time for me to sit down and not worry about basketball.”
Smith said she is feeling great physically and has settled into a daily routine with the Aces’ training staff since her injury before the FIBA World Cup break. But the mental adjustment has been just as significant.
The former Baylor Bear said she initially took a step back from the team, spending more time with family and friends as she learned how to process her first major injury and extended absence from basketball.
“I kind of just went to, like, be by myself, and learn how to regulate my emotions,” Smith said. “It is the first time I’ve had a big injury. So being away from basketball for the first time, it’s not easy.”
Smith attended her first game since the injury Saturday, giving her a different perspective as the Aces prepare for the postseason.
“My first time coming to a game was yesterday, so it was full of a lot of emotions, just not being able to play and having to watch,” Smith said. “But, I mean, it is cool to just take a step back and just take it all in sometimes.”
Although the 6-foot-4-inch forward won’t be able to contribute on the court during the Aces’ playoff run, she is embracing the opportunity to study the game from a different perspective.
“This year and next year I have a lot of time to just grow and watch the game and slow the game down,” Smith said. “I think it’s important to slow the game down for yourself, whether that’s just writing plays and learning from the coaches and building enough of them. I think sometimes not having the ball in your hand, it just helps you grow mentally.”
“I feel like this has probably been one of my best years so far, so it’s unfortunate that it came to an end so quickly, but now that I know I could do it, I could build on it.”
Prior to her injury, Smith led the WNBA in field-goal percentage while averaging 11.7 points and 6.4 rebounds per game alongside A’ja Wilson in the Aces’ starting frontcourt.
Smith has also had people around her who understand what the rehabilitation process can look like, including teammate Brianna Turner and Aces coach Becky Hammon, who Smith said have helped reassure her throughout the process.
“I talked to Breezy (Turner),” Smith said. “She had a similar injury and she was just like, ‘You see me, I’m still running, jumping, and getting up and down the floor. Nothing’s gonna change.’
“Becky too, she told me she went through the same injury as me as a player multiple times and she was like, ‘After that, it was the best time of my career and I grew so much,’” Smith said. “So I mean, it’s exciting to hear, you know, different people’s stories and how they responded to it.”
Both Turner and Hammon have suffered torn ACLs during their respective playing careers.
The Aces currently sit in third place in the WNBA standings with two games remaining on their regular-season schedule, including their home finale Tuesday against the Los Angeles Sparks at Michelob Ultra Arena.
Contact Donovan Hicks at dhicks@reviewjournal.com. Follow @HicksSports on X.
