After attempting a defensive play in the third quarter of Sunday’s matchup against the Toronto Tempo, Las Vegas Aces forward NaLyssa Smith went down with an injury and had to be helped off the court, never returning to the game.
The Aces confirmed Thursday afternoon that Smith is out for the rest of the 2026 season.
When it comes to injuries, almost every team has the “next woman up” mentality. When A’ja Wilson was ruled out with an ankle injury earlier in the season, Cheyenne Parker-Tyus moved into her role.
“I mean, we got to play the hole, but we feel like we have some pieces to do that, and we just roll with the next one up,” Hammon told The IX Sports at practice on Thursday.
There are two players who have the likely opportunity to fill Smith’s role in the starting lineup: Parker-Tyus, who’s been a critical offensive big from the bench, and Brianna Turner, the defensive specialist.
Parker-Tyus got experience starting this year, and has played a productive role offensively. Coming off the bench, she’s averaged 5.2 points per game, along with 0.6 assists, 0.4 steals and 0.6 blocks. During the Aces’ match against the Connecticut Sun, the 11-year vet had 18 points in 15 minutes. She helped propel the Aces to a 101-78 victory.
One barrier to Parker-Tyus’ return to a starting role is that she recently came off of concussion protocol. She’s working on getting back into her rhythm, and the work is paying off — providing her a new perspective on the game during the final stretch of the regular season.
“When you’re stuck in concussion protocol or any type of injury, you really get perspective on how much you love the game and how much it means to just be able to play,” Parker-Tyus told The IX Sports at practice on Thursday. “Coming back just gave me a new, fresh perspective.”
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On the other hand, Hammon could look to defensive specialist Brianna Turner. Turner started two games this season with the Aces. She’s averaged 1.6 points per game, along with 2.2 rebounds, 0.2 assists, 0.3 steals and 0.5 blocks.
Turner’s defense is what made Hammon sign her. Whether it’s getting rebounds on the defensive end, setting screens or getting around screens with ease, Turner makes her presence known as an elite defender when she’s on the court.
In Sunday’s matchup against the Toronto Tempo, Turner played eight minutes. In that time she secured two rebounds, and had a plus-minus rating of +10.
Even with reliable back-ups in Parker-Tyus and Turner, Smith being out is a huge blow for the Aces. She’s played key roles in victories all throughout the season, whether they were close wins or blowouts. With a key player out, the forwards will embrace the “next woman up” mentality.
Hammon has her choice in mind, but that’s being kept a secret until tip-off on Friday — when the Aces face the Toronto Tempo for one final time before Wilson, Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young, Stephanie Talbot and Mai Yamamoto head to Berlin for the FIBA World Cup.
