NaLyssa Smith basks in the glow of her first WNBA title. The Las Vegas Aces forward helped her team sweep the Phoenix Mercury 4-0 in the Finals. She averaged solid minutes off the bench during the run. Now, her brother Rodney Smith II stirs the pot with a pointed jab.
After shutting down racism claims over Smith’s bold anti-racism t-shirt, he recently targeted her former coach amid the triumph. Rodney’s words cut deep into old wounds from NaLyssa’s Indiana Fever days. Tensions simmered under coach Christie Sides in 2024, and Rodney is still far away from letting that go.
NaLyssa Smith’s Brother Calls Out Coach Christie Sides
While the latest drama came to light after the Aces’ championship victory, NaLyssa has thrived early with double-doubles aplenty. Then her role shrank after the Olympic break. And soon after that, frustration boiled over for the family. This championship moment reignited that fire.
However, Smith’s family never shied from speaking up. Rodney fired off a tweet right after the Aces’ Game 4 clincher. The message connects to his 2024 pleas for change. Back then, he urged the Fever to trade NaLyssa if they doubted her fit.
“AND CHRISTIE SIDES, I STILL WANNA TALK,” he recently tweeted.
AND CHRISTIE SIDES, I STILL WANNA TALK
— Rodney Smith II (@RadioRodd) October 11, 2025
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Rodney’s outburst justifies the raw emotion tied to NaLyssa’s career dip. She exploded as the No. 2 pick in 2022. She notched 28 double-doubles over three seasons there. Her 2023 stats dazzled at 15.5 points and 9.2 rebounds per game.
However, Sides benched her post-Olympics in 2024, though. And just like that, her minutes plummeted from 28 to under 20 on average. NaLyssa averaged just 10.6 points that year. The Fever crashed out in the first playoff round to the Sun. Fans blamed mismanagement while Rodney called it outright neglect.
NaLyssa Smith’s Brother Rodney Shouts Outs To Indiana Fever
While the Fever and NaLyssa are no more on friendly terms, at least what it looks like, her family ties run deep, even after trades and trades, though an anonymous source revealed the reason behind NaLyssa’s trade, his respect for the Fever shines in tough times. Just a couple of days ago, he tipped his hat to their performance this season.
“Bruh yall can hate me but im tipping my hat to the Fever, respects asf,” he earlier tweeted.
Bruh yall can hate me but im tipping my hat to the Fever, respects asf
— Rodney Smith II (@RadioRodd) October 1, 2025
However, the team battled injuries and absences all year. They nearly stunned everyone in the playoffs. Additionally, the Fever’s 2025 run inspired amid chaos. They missed Caitlin Clark, Sophie Cunningham, and others for stretches. Kelsey Mitchell hurt her ankle in Game 5 of the semis. Aliyah Boston fouled out late. Still, Odyssey Sims dropped 27 points to lead.
Excerpt (250 characters): Fresh off Las Vegas Aces’ 4-0 Finals sweep, NaLyssa Smith’s brother Rodney tweets “AND CHRISTIE SIDES, I STILL WANNA TALK,” slamming her 2024 benching under the Fever coach. Despite praising Indiana’s resilient 2025 run, old wounds from reduced minutes resurface.