“It felt like being back home.”
Las Vegas Aces forward and center NaLyssa Smith was a champion before she became a WNBA champion. Smith joined Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball during Season 2 and took it by storm, recording 12 double-doubles and 184 total rebounds on her way to being named the 2023 Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball champion.
After stepping away from the league, Smith returned in Year 5, during the second season of AU Pro Basketball in Nashville. She came back not just as a former champion, but as a seasoned veteran with meaningfully gained experience.
In her first game back, she scored 16 points and led the team she captained to a win.
Like many other players, Smith values the opportunity to play at home. Just over a decade ago, opportunities like this did not exist. WNBA players often had to go overseas to supplement their income and continue playing the game they loved during the offseason.
Now, being able to compete domestically in the offseason is something many athletes no longer take for granted.
Along with returning to AU Pro Basketball, Smith is using this time to serve as a resource for newer players in the league, including her Week 1 teammates, Te-Hina Paopao and Deja Kelly.
“I feel like if anybody is on my team and they’re asking questions, I’m always here to support them,” Smith said. “It’s never just going to be about me winning this league; it’s going to be about helping each other. At the end of the day, we all need each other.”
Leadership shows up in many forms, and so does being a good human being. In Smith’s case, she demonstrates both by uplifting those around her. This league belongs to its players. Wins will come. Points will follow. But the spirit that defines Athletes Unlimited is something far more lasting and irreplaceable.
