Two weeks ago, the Sky trailed the Fever by two with two seconds to play.
They needed a clutch play from a trusted player. The obvious choices might have appeared to be either of the Sky’s leading scorers: Kahleah Copper or Marina Mabrey. That’s precisely why Alanna Smith was left open.
Sky coach/general manager James Wade’s out-of-bounds play ended with Smith rolling off a screen set for Mabrey. When Smith’s defender moved over to Mabrey, Smith was left with an open look at the rim. Her layup sent the game to overtime, and the Sky closed it out from there.
That was the Sky’s last win. They’ve gone completely cold since, dropping four straight, but Smith has remained a red-hot presence in the Sky’s lineup and her first season in Chicago.
“She’s very underrated,” Wade said.
This is Smith’s third stint in the WNBA, and 12 games in, it could be the one that solidifies her.
Drafted with the eighth overall pick in 2019 by the Mercury, Smith spent three seasons in Phoenix, playing a total of 55 games. In 2022, she signed a training-camp contract with the Fever and played just nine games before being waived.
Smith has taken full advantage of the opportunity provided by multiple injuries in the frontcourt. Through 12 games (nine starts), she’s averaging 10.3 points, a team-high 6.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks.
“She just needed some time to develop,” Wade said. “And needed some people who were actually confident in her. She’s the type of player that, if you have confidence in her, it can go a long way.”
Smith is a prime example of the type of player with which Wade prefers to build out the end of his roster.
In 2021, he signed Rebekah Garder, a 10-year overseas veteran but a newcomer to the WNBA. She instantly made waves and was named to the 2022 All-Rookie team.
Smith has more experience in the WNBA than Gardner but represents Wade’s preference for experience over development. Since taking over the Sky in 2018, Wade has kept two rookies: Dana Evans and Ruthy Hebard.
“It’s always been a long-term thing when we draft a player,” Wade said. “Even when we drafted early in 2019, I saw that pick as a long-term project. It’s just about the players being patient or not.”
That year, the Sky took Katie Lou Samuelson with the fourth overall pick. She played one season for the Sky before Wade traded her and draft stock to the Wings for forward Azurá Stevens.
The trade paid dividends for the Sky in their 2021 championship season, with Stevens flourishing playing behind Candace Parker. The move also illustrated Wade’s tactic for constructing his rosters.
He seems to hunt players who will trust his process, which, for young players, often means biding your time. Other times, as with Smith, injuries serve as the catalyst for opportunity.
