DiJonai Carrington and NaLyssa Smith's Relationship Makes 'Crazy' Fever-Sun Subplot
The Indiana Fever and Connecticut Sun have proved to be one of the WNBA's most compelling matchups throughout the 2024 season.
Much of this is owed to Sun guard DiJonai Carrington. The 26-year-old defensive stalwart has attracted the ire of Fever fans multiple times this year; starting with when she mocked rookie guard Caitlin Clark for flopping during a game earlier this season.
She also recently called Indiana's fanbase the "nastiest in the W", appeared to double down on her sentiment before Sunday's game, and then poked Clark in the eye in the first half — which some fans believe was intentional.
Despite all this, one person within the Fever's orbit holds Carrington in the highest regard: forward NaLyssa Smith, as the two are a couple.
Smith and Carrington played at Baylor University together, where their romantic relationship started. Then they appeared to split up for a couple of years before rekindling their relationship earlier this season, and have been going strong ever since.
Given the vitriol between Carrington and the Indiana Fever, her relationship with a Fever player adds a fascinating layer to what's already an extremely compelling playoff matchup.
One X user called attention to this on Sunday by replying to a video of Carrington and Smith interacting after Sunday's game that included the caption, "I don’t think we realize how crazy the idea of 2 opponents going home together in a playoff series because they’re in a relationship is. This the messiest league ever. Lol".
I don’t think we realize how crazy the idea of 2 opponents going home together in a playoff series because they’re in a relationship is. This the messiest league ever. Lol https://t.co/ME1LyGgk2R
— Hub (@KenHeLive) September 23, 2024
The notion of WNBA players being in a relationship with one another isn't new. In fact, Connecticut's arguable two best players — Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner — are engaged, and Phoenix Mercury guard Natasha Cloud is rumored to be in a relationship with Chicago Sky forward Isabelle Harrison.
But Smith being on the Fever makes her relationship with Carrington makes for an intriguing subplot as these playoffs continue.
Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.