Alanna Smith Bio
Alanna Simone Smith is an Australian professional basketball player for the Minnesota Lynx of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and for the Mist of Unrivaled. She played college basketball for the Stanford Cardinal and has represented Australia at multiple international levels, including the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she won a bronze medal. She has received several accolades during her career, including being named the WNBA co-Defensive Player of the Year in 2025.
Smith has built her reputation as a versatile forward whose length, timing, and rebounding have translated across leagues in the United States, Australia, Korea, Poland, and Turkey. Standing 193 cm tall, she combines interior defense with stretch scoring, a profile that has allowed her to contribute immediately in every stop of her professional journey.
Early Life and Background
Alanna Simone Smith was born on 10 September 1996 in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. She attended Wesley College in Melbourne, Victoria, where she developed her game in a competitive Australian basketball environment before moving overseas to continue her development. Growing up in Tasmania gave her an early grounding in team sport, and the move to Melbourne for high school placed her closer to the national basketball pipeline.
Her time at Wesley College coincided with Australia’s growing emphasis on structured youth development, and Smith quickly progressed through the country’s age-group teams. She made her international debut for the Sapphires at the 2011 FIBA Oceania Under-16 Championship in Canberra, beginning a long run of representing her country on the international stage. Those early years in Melbourne set the foundation for her eventual college recruitment to Stanford University.
Path to Basketball
Smith’s path to elite basketball began with a steady climb through Australia’s age-group programs. After debuting for the Sapphires in 2011, she represented Australia at the Under-17 World Championship in the Netherlands the following year, where the team finished fifth. She then moved up to the Gems, debuting at the 2014 FIBA Oceania Under-18 Championship in Fiji and later helping Australia to a bronze medal at the Under-19 World Championship in Russia, where she was named to the All-Tournament Team.
At age 20, Smith was selected to the Opals team that competed in the 2017 FIBA Women’s Asia Cup in India, averaging 10.8 points and 5.3 rebounds in 14.5 minutes per game and helping Australia finish as runners-up. In 2018, she represented the Opals at her first FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Tenerife, Spain, contributing 6.3 points and 2.3 rebounds per game and scoring 10 points in the final against the United States. That international experience, combined with strong domestic form, helped earn her a place in Stanford’s recruiting class.
Alanna Smith Career
Early Career (2019–2020)
Smith played four seasons of college basketball at Stanford University for the Cardinal, earning All-Pac-12 honors in 2018 and 2019. In 2019, she was named a Second-team All-American by the Associated Press, a Third-team All-American by the USBWA, a WBCA Coaches’ All-American, the Pac-12 Tournament Most Outstanding Player, and a Pac-12 All-Defensive Team selection. Her Stanford résumé helped position her as one of the top international prospects in her draft class.
Smith was selected as the eighth overall pick of the 2019 WNBA draft by the Phoenix Mercury. After making the final roster, she played under head coach Sandy Brondello, who was also her coach with the Australian national team, and alongside veterans such as Brittney Griner, DeWanna Bonner, and Diana Taurasi. She saw limited playing time in her rookie season, averaging 7.4 minutes per game, before an ankle injury requiring surgery ended her year prematurely. During the same 2019–2020 season, she also played for the Incheon S-Birds of the Women’s Korean Basketball League and was named to the All-Star team.
Phoenix Mercury Years (2019–2021)
In her second WNBA season with the Mercury, Smith’s role increased, and she averaged 15.6 minutes per game. However, her playing time dropped again in her third season, and Phoenix did not re-sign her after her rookie contract expired. She returned home to Australia and signed with the Adelaide Lightning for the 2020 WNBL season, though she ultimately missed the shortened campaign due to the ankle injury sustained during the 2020 WNBA season.
Indiana Fever and NBL1 Stint (2022)
On 21 February 2022, Smith signed a training camp contract with the Indiana Fever. She made the opening day roster but played only nine games for the team before being released. Following her release, she returned to Australia once again and signed with the NBL1 team Townsville Flames, winning an NBL1 North championship. She was also named the NBL1 North Finals MVP. During the 2021–22 WNBL season with Adelaide, she was selected to the All-WNBL Second Team.
Chicago Sky Breakthrough (2023)
Following a productive stint in Poland, Smith received several offers from WNBA teams before the 2023 season. She chose the Chicago Sky after head coach James Wade guaranteed her a roster spot, and she had not been sure she wanted to return to the WNBA until that offer arrived. In her fifth WNBA season, Smith had her most productive year to date, starting 35 games, averaging 26.5 minutes per game, and posting career-high averages across major statistical categories. For her performance, she received three votes for the 2023 WNBA Most Improved Player Award.
Minnesota Lynx Era (2024–Present)
On 1 February 2024, Smith signed with the Minnesota Lynx. Her former Sky teammate Courtney Williams encouraged her to sign with the Lynx after Williams had already committed for the 2024 season. In her first year in Minnesota, Smith was named to the WNBA All-Defensive Second Team, her first WNBA award. In Game 3 of the Finals, Smith’s back was injured, but she continued to play in Game 4, demonstrating her toughness during the Lynx’s title run.
In the 2025 season, Smith was named WNBA Defensive Player of the Year. For the first time, two players were given the award, and Smith shared it with A’ja Wilson. The league noted that Smith anchored the league’s top-ranked defense, powering Minnesota to a league-best 97.5 defensive rating. She finished second overall in combined steals and blocks with 135, ranked third in both blocks per game at 1.9 and total blocks with 80, and tied for 10th in total steals with 55.
Driving Style and Strengths
Smith’s game is built around her length, anticipation, and ability to protect the rim while also stepping out to defend on the perimeter. She uses her 193 cm frame to contest shots, finish around the basket, and rebound on both ends, and she has developed a reliable outside shot that keeps defenses honest. Her timing as a shot blocker and her instincts in help defense have made her a centerpiece of Minnesota’s top-ranked defense.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Smith’s signature achievements are her 2024 WNBA Commissioner’s Cup championship with the Lynx, her selection to the FIBA All-Star Five of the 2024 Paris Olympics after Australia’s bronze medal run, and her shared 2025 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year honor. She also won an NBL1 North title and Finals MVP with the Townsville Flames in 2022 and earned league MVP honors with AZS AJP Gorzów Wielkopolski in Poland during the 2022–2023 season.
Alanna Smith Career Wins
Smith has accumulated wins and accolades across multiple leagues and competitions, including championships in the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup, NBL1 North, and the 2024 Paris Olympics bronze medal with Australia. Her trophy case also includes individual awards such as the WNBA co-Defensive Player of the Year, All-Defensive First and Second Team honors, the NBL1 North Finals MVP, and the Polish league MVP. Together, these accomplishments reflect a career spent competing and winning at the highest levels on multiple continents.
WNBA Highlights
Smith’s WNBA career includes a 2024 WNBA Commissioner’s Cup championship with the Minnesota Lynx and a run to the WNBA Finals that same year. She was named to the WNBA All-Defensive Second Team in 2024 and the WNBA All-Defensive First Team in 2025, when she also shared the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year award with A’ja Wilson. Her first three WNBA seasons were spent with the Phoenix Mercury after being drafted eighth overall in 2019, followed by a brief stint with the Indiana Fever in 2022, a productive year with the Chicago Sky in 2023, and her current tenure with the Lynx beginning in 2024.
Other Wins and Performances
Smith won an NBL1 North championship with the Townsville Flames in 2022 and was named the NBL1 North Finals MVP. She was also selected to the All-WNBL Second Team in 2022 with the Adelaide Lightning. In Europe, she was named the MVP of the Polish Basket Liga Kobiet during the 2022–2023 season with AZS AJP Gorzów Wielkopolski. Internationally, she earned a bronze medal with Australia at the 2024 Paris Olympics and was named to the FIBA All-Star Five of the tournament.
Alanna Smith Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public details about Alanna Smith’s immediate family remain limited. What is clear is that her basketball journey took her from Hobart, Tasmania, to Melbourne for high school at Wesley College, and then across the Pacific to Stanford University in California. Her career path has since carried her through professional leagues in Australia, Korea, Poland, Turkey, China, and the United States.
Personal Life
Smith is studying toward a master’s degree in psychology at Monash University, with the goal of becoming a psychologist. Her academic interests complement her athletic career and reflect a long-term plan beyond basketball. Information about her spouse, children, and other personal relationships has not been publicly confirmed.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season marked the peak of Smith’s WNBA career to date, as she was named WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, sharing the honor with A’ja Wilson. She anchored a Minnesota defense that led the league with a 97.5 defensive rating, finishing second in the WNBA in combined steals and blocks with 135. Her play earned her a place on the WNBA All-Defensive First Team, capping her second season with the Lynx.
Smith’s contributions went beyond individual defense, as she helped power Minnesota’s deep playoff push alongside teammates including Courtney Williams. Her ability to block shots, contest on the perimeter, and rebound at a high level gave the Lynx a reliable interior presence on both ends of the floor. She continued to balance her WNBA schedule with overseas play, joining the Shandong Six Stars in China’s WCBA for the 2024–2025 season.
Looking ahead, Smith was drafted by Mist BC for the 2026 Unrivaled season, the off-season women’s basketball league based in the United States. She is expected to remain a central figure for the Lynx as they continue to pursue a WNBA championship, and her Defensive Player of the Year recognition signals that she remains among the league’s elite defenders.