The Lynx were riding the rare luxury of a clean injury report until this week reminded everyone how fast luck can run out. First, it hit Karlie Samuelson, just ahead of their commissioner’s cup final vs. the Fever. She had to be ruled out due to a foot injury. Samuelson went down during the 2nd quarter of their game against the Connecticut Sun on Sunday, June 29. It all happened after logging in for just 3:19 short minutes. Now, just 2 games and 19 minutes later, Alanna Smith is injured too.
She will probably not suit up for some time now. It will be a difficult stretch considering that joining the Lynx, “just felt like coming back home to family,” to Smith, as she said. “Playing with people that care about you as a player on and off the court. And that you genuinely get along with, too. Every single person involved with the Lynx is great. I’ve had no issues, and I genuinely enjoy being around the team and staff. And it’s great basketball as well, you can’t really ask for much more.”
Although the Lynx went on to win the battle against the Valkyries even with Smith being absent during the second half, she’s a key piece. “There’s a couple of us that are the anchors of our defense, especially in help-side,” she explained. “That’s usually me. We’re a team that helps a lot, and being able to provide that every single game without fail is what’s most important.”
But what exactly is going to keep her away from helping her squad? Let’s have a look…
What Happened to Alanna Smith?
Alanna Smith, who earned All-Defensive honors last season, went down in the 1st half vs. the Golden State Valkyries on Saturday night at Target Center. The seventh-year forward was averaging 10.8 points and 5.5 rebounds. She has appeared in 17 of Minnesota’s 18 games this season, averaging 27.2 minutes per contest. Standing true to that stat, Alanna Smith tallied five points, five rebounds, and six assists.
However, an injury kept her from finishing the game. She played for a total of just 19 minutes due to a knee issue that escalated later. Alanna Smith had initially gone to the locker room early in the game. But giving Minnesota fans some hope, she returned to the bench and even reentered the contest briefly. Unfortunately, that return didn’t last long. The Lynx later confirmed she was dealing with a right knee injury.
Status alert: Alanna Smith (knee) won’t return Saturday.
— Underdog WNBA (@UnderdogWNBA) July 6, 2025
Alanna Smith was first listed as questionable but later she was ruled out, and her status for upcoming games remains uncertain. She might be listed as DNP in their next run vs. the Sky tomorrow. Speaking of the status, many people believe that Alanna Smith should have received a reboot this time. For those of you who are not sure what that is, let us tell you.
In basketball, a “reboot” refers to a situation where a player exits a game in the first half and does not return in the second half. It’s basically as if the player never played. Alanna Smith’s logged-in minutes do qualify for the condition. However, it’s unclear why the situation did not come up officially.
Has Alanna Smith Faced Severe Injuries Before?
“I went through what some would consider a bit of a rough patch in my career, just in terms of not making teams and injuries, but shooting has always been something that I would say is a part of my game,” said Alanna Smith. The statement is enough evidence for us to know that she has been through it before. Her most famous injury incident was when she fought through a back injury and made a big difference down the stretch as the Minnesota Lynx evened the WNBA Finals by beating the New York Liberty in 2024.
She had fallen hard fell hard on her back in Minnesota’s Game 3 loss. Upon playing, she was hesitant while battling New York’s Jonquel Jones and Nyara Sabally. Alanna Smith even missed three layups in the first quarter, but she ended up giving the Lynx 30 minutes. It was up from her regular-season average of 26.5. Her perseverance paid off with 12 points, seven rebounds, two steals, and a blocked shot.
Apart from this, her rookie season with the Mercury was also cut short due to an ankle injury that she even ended up getting surgery for. She averaged just 1.1 PPG, 1.9 RPG, and 7.5 MPG in 18 regular season games. That even resulted in less time to learn by playing alongside experienced star players like Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner, and DeWanna Bonner. In three seasons with the Mercury, she never started in a game and could not establish a meaningful role on a team that was competing for a championship.
However, that’s far from reality for her now, as she is an anchor for the league-leading Lynx this time. And hopefully, for Minnesota fans, she will show up for them soon, especially with Karlie Samuelson’s absence already in the mix.
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