A record setting regular season for Alanna Smith was rewarded last Friday with the 6’4 Minnesota Lynx forward announced as co-recipient of WNBA Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) alongside Las Vegas Aces champion A’ja Wilson.
Smith becomes the first Australian to win the award since Opals legend Lauren Jackson AO OLY in 2007 and the third player in Lynx history.
Alanna let the moment sink in and reflected on that acknowledgement as WNBA DPOY.
“My initial reaction was just shock and pride. I’ve worked really hard to get to where I am today so to be acknowledged for it with an award like this in one of the best leagues in the world was surreal,” said Alanna.
“I’d say the factors and attributes that I’ve accumulated have come from being persistent in the face of adversity. My confidence hasn’t wavered and I’ve been able to learn from the setbacks”
If anyone can attest to Alanna’s persistence, father and former NBL player Darren Smith has been there to see it. As news broke in the early hours of Friday morning (AEST), Darren reacted to the announcement.
“As a family, we are immensely proud of Alanna being awarded co-DPOY in the WNBA this season,” said Darren Smith.
“We have seen her overcome a variety of challenges to get to this stage of her career, whether it has been injuries, deselection, or a lack of understanding of her talents, it has been an uphill battle for many years,” he added.
“Her resilience to keep pushing to fulfil her potential has been the most impressive part of the journey. To be recognised in this manner after all of it, is a great testament to her and a recognition to all of the people who have invested in her along the way.”
The last 24 months have been monumental for Alanna Smith, in the WNBA and for the Opals.
Smith entered her first season for the Lynx in 2024 (4th stint in the WNBA) and made a notable impact with and was named on the WNBA All-Defensive Second Team.
Smith, like many Opals team mates, pressed pause on WNBA duties with selection for the Paris 2024 Olympics in July. She demonstrated dominance in Paris on the way to All Star 5 honours and contributed to an iconic bronze medal for Australia.
Without losing a step, Smith locked back in for the Lynx with a WNBA Championship tilt in August. The Lynx finished 1st in the Western Conference and finished the year with an iconic five game battle against NY Liberty in the Final.
Although the Lynx fell agonisingly short 3 – 2 to end that season, Smith had found a new level.
New hardware for Alanna Smith! 🏆
— WNBA (@WNBA) September 21, 2025
She accepts her 2025 WNBA @Kia Co-Defensive Player of the Year award ahead of Game 1 of the Semi-Finals!#WelcometotheW | #KiaDPOY pic.twitter.com/I81gLoPRQi
In 2025, she has appeared in all 42 games for the Lynx in 2025 producing 48.5% shooting, 5.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.9 blocks and 1.3 steals per game. She set a single season franchise record for blocks with 80, the eighth player in WNBA history to record 80 or more in a single season.
Smith played a major role to lead the Lynx to first in the WNBA in defensive rating (97.5), while allowing the second-fewest opponent fast-break points (8.7) and third-fewest opponent points in the paint (34.2).
Minnesota also held opponents to 42.3% shooting from the field and 76.7 points per game, the second-lowest in the WNBA this season.
The next chapter for Alanna Smith and the Lynx is yet to be told. Minnesota’s WNBA playoff campaign continues against the Mercury this morning, with Game Two tipping off 9:00am AEST.
