Alanna Smith is an Australian professional basketball player. She competes for the Minnesota Lynx in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and the Shandong Six Stars in the Women’s Chinese Basketball Association (WCBA). Smith played college basketball for the Stanford Cardinal. Additionally, Alanna Smith has represented the Australian women’s basketball team at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics.
Alanna Smith excelled at volleyball and basketball as a high school student at Melbourne’s Wesley College. Her basketball international debut came in 2011, when she competed for the Sapphires at the FIBA U16 Oceania Championship. The next year, she competed in the FIBA U17s World Championships in the Netherlands and finished sixth.
The Australian women’s basketball then competed in the FIBA U19s Oceania Championships in 2014, followed by the 2015 U19s World Championships in Russia, where they won bronze. Alanna Smith made her Australian women’s basketball debut in the FIBA Asia Cup in Bangalore, India, where she averaged 10.8 points (58.3 percent shooting) and 5.3 rebounds.
She was a member of the silver medal-winning Opals 2018 World Cup team, their highest finish since winning gold in 2006. Then there was her effect on the US collegiate scene during her four years at Stanford University, where she studied psychology. Alanna Smith concluded her undergraduate career ranked 10th in school history in scoring (1703 points), 11th in rebounds (842), second in blocks (225), and with 155 career three-pointers.
She started 74 of Stanford’s 143 games from 2015 to 2019, earning her a spot on the WBCA’s 2019 All-American team.
The Phoenix Mercury selected Alanna Smith with the eighth overall choice in the 2019 WNBA Draft. After reaching the Mercury’s final roster, Smith played with Brittney Griner, DeWanna Bonner, and Diana Taurasi, as well as head coach Sandy Brondello, who also coached the Australian national team. Smith received minimal playing time in her debut season with the Mercury, averaging 7.4 minutes per game, and her rookie season was cut short due to an ankle ailment that required surgery. She saw her role grow somewhat in her second season, averaging 15.6 minutes per game. However, her playing time decreased again in her third season, and the Mercury did not re-sign her after her rookie contract expired.
On February 21, 2022, Alanna Smith agreed to a training camp deal with the Indiana Fever. She made the team’s opening day roster but only played nine games before being released.
Alanna Smith had a strong off-season in Poland and garnered multiple offers from WNBA teams prior to the 2023 season. She eventually chose the Chicago Sky after coach James Wade guaranteed her a roster slot. Smith’s fifth season in the WNBA was her most productive yet. She started 35 games, averaged 26.5 minutes per game, and set career highs in every statistical category. Smith received three votes for the 2023 WNBA Most Improved Player award.
On February 1, 2024, Alanna Smith signed with the Minnesota Lynx. Her former Sky colleague Courtney Williams persuaded her to join the Lynx after Williams had signed on for the 2024 season. Smith earned her first WNBA All-Defensive Second Team honor in her debut season with the Minnesota Lynx in 2024. Alanna Smith’s back was hurt during Game 3 of the Finals, but she returned to play in Game 4.
Alanna Smith photos
