“I’ll let future me worry about my back…” — Alanna Smith meant it when she established the championship as her priority. If you had been keeping up with the WNBA Finals series, you’d know that Game 3 in the series brought a muscular back injury for the 28-year-old. And how she pushed through immense pain to contribute 12 valuable points, 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks for the Minnesota Lynx in Game 4. So she was in no mood to take a step back when it counted the most.

Yes, the Game did not bring her the desired outcome. But the 28-year-old gave her all against New York Liberty on the court to have that claim on the championship. Something she had already said, and then firmly stood on her words. “It’s not every day you’re in New York for Game 5 of the finals and a crack at the championship so you just have to push through,” she told ESPN earlier this week.

Smith’s bold effort even brought her team within inches of victory, but the game went into overtime. You could feel the tension as Breanna Stewart redeemed herself for missed free throws earlier, and Minnesota just couldn’t keep up during those final minutes. With Courtney Williams unable to convert crucial shots, New York pulled ahead, 67-62. It wasn’t just another game — it was the first winner-takes-all overtime in WNBA Finals history.

And for New York, it was monumental—their first-ever WNBA title after years of coming up short. But even in the loss, Smith’s effort stood out. Let’s not forget — she played through those last two games when her back injury had not been treated directly.

And instead of resting, she was receiving a mix of painkillers, ice, heat therapy, and STEM pulse treatment to just make it to the floor. Now, all of this may not have yielded the desired outcome for her, but still an unforgettable season for the 28-year-old.

This had been a big year for Alanna Smith

Smith kicked off the year in Europe, and then jumped straight into a WNBA season with her new team, the Minnesota Lynx. And with an expanded schedule, no less! As if that wasn’t enough, she took a quick break to represent Australia at the Olympics, bringing home a bronze medal with the Opals.

To top it off, the 29-year-old has been a key player, participating in all 10 semifinal and finals games this season. But most importantly, she enjoyed this season with her new team as one of her best in her pro career. “When everyone gets along, works really hard, knows and respects each other’s role, good things happen. And that’s been the case for us this season.”

There is not an ounce of doubt that this year has been quite the turnaround for Smith. Especially when you remember that just two years ago, she was waived by the Indiana Fever. After winning an NBL1 North title with Townsville, she proved that setbacks can set the stage for major comebacks. And considering her rock solid grit, a WNBA championship may as well not be so far for Alanna Smith.