Caitlin Clark team-mate clashes with opponent on court as mass brawl erupts
While Caitlin Clark is taking time off from basketball during the WNBA offseason, one of her Indiana Fever team-mates was involved in a mass brawl on the court.
Caitlin Clark’s team-mate NaLyssa Smith was caught up in a mass brawl (Image: X/Getty)
Caitlin Clark and her fellow WNBA stars might be enjoying their downtime following the end of the 2024 season. But not all of her Indiana Fever colleagues are relaxing after one of her team-mates was caught up in a fiery row during a match on Thursday.
Two Fever players have taken their talents abroad in the offseason, with NaLyssa Smith joining Women’s Chinese Basketball Association (WCBA) outfit Zhejiang Golden Bulls and Kelsey Mitchell signing for the Shanxi Xing Rui Flame.
It hasn’t taken Smith long to assert her authority on the court in China after becoming embroiled in an altercation with an opposing player.The American forward was seen wearing the same No. 1 jersey that she has with the Fever – along with her trademark headband – as she played in the pre-season game.
But things were far from friendly as Smith – the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft – reacted angrily having been provoked by an Inner Mongolia player when leading 94-89.
Smith received a shove from her opponent as her team-mate lined up a three-point effort and the former Baylor Bears star was far from amused, grabbing the ball before throwing it at her opponent. Unsurprisingly, the Inner Mongolia player returned the favour by launching it back at her.
NaLyssa Smith has endured a difficult season with Indiana Fever (Image: Getty)
The incident sparked a brief flare-up between the pair and their team-mates were forced to step in to stop the melee from escalating any further. However, it set the tone for a tense match as the referee issued seven technicals during the game, according to Dallas Wings center Kalani Brown.
“7 technicals & a potential fight in a pre-season game. The Chinese some crash outs fr,” Brown wrote on X, adding two crying-laughing emojis to compliment her reaction.
Unlike Clark, who shone in her rookie season with the Fever, 2024 proved to be a difficult year for Smith. Statistically-speaking, she produced the worst season of her short career with an average of 10.6 points and 7.1 rebounds.
The 24-year-old featured in all 40 of the Fever’s regular season games, but she was cast aside by then-coach Christie Sides, who has since been replaced by Stephanie White. Smith only featured for 13 minutes across their two games against the Connecticut Sun as they bowed out in the first round of WNBA playoffs.
Now entering the final year of her four-year deal with the Indiana franchise, it remains to be seen whether Smith will return for the 2025 season to play alongside Clark and Mitchell. Fever’s president of basketball operations, Kelly Krauskopf, has refused to divulge her plans for Smith’s future beyond her current contract.
“I’m not going to tell you I know exactly what her future looks like,” Krauskopf said. “She’s a part of our team right now, and she’s an important part of the team, so she’s a tremendous talent.”
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