"Tipping my hat to the Fever": NaLyssa Smith's brother acknowledges Indiana Fever's inspirational run against all odds

The Indiana Fever’s 2025 season ended in heartbreak after a 107-98 Game 5 overtime loss to the Las Vegas Aces on Tuesday. However, fans showered Stephanie White’s team with lofty compliments for their valiant efforts despite many setbacks.

NaLyssa Smith’s brother, Rodney Smith II, summed up the feelings of many as he wrote on X (formerly called Twitter):

“Bruh yall can hate me but im tipping my hat to the Fever, respects asf."

Smith's message comes after the Fever nearly pulled off another shocker and came close to booking their spot in the WNBA Finals. They did so while missing Caitlin Clark, Sophie Cunningham, Aari McDonald, Sydney Colson and Chloe Bibby for long stretches of the season.

The adversity didn’t stop there. Kelsey Mitchell went down with an injury in the third quarter of Game 5, while Aliyah Boston fouled out, leaving the Fever even more shorthanded on Tuesday.

However, Odyssey Sims refused to let the Fever go down without a fight. She dropped a team-high 27 points, while Natasha Howard and Lexie Hull combined for 28 points and 14 rebounds to keep the game within reach. Despite their efforts, Indiana fell in overtime.

As for NaLyssa Smith, she had a modest outing, with five points and one rebound on 2-of-5 shooting.

Caitlin Clark, Sophie Cunningham address fans after Indiana Fever’s season ends

Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham wasted no time sharing their feelings after the Indiana Fever’s season wrapped up. Both used their social media platforms to reflect and show gratitude to fans.

Clark put out a heartfelt message on X.

“So much to be proud of ❤️❤️ shoutout the fans for staying with us all year❤️❤️🙏🏻 @IndianaFever,” Clark wrote.

Cunningham, meanwhile, shared a photo from the locker room after the Tuesday loss. She expressed pride in the Fever's journey while also issuing a stern warning to the rest of the league.

“Us. can’t make this season up! so much to be proud of. you better believe we are coming for EVERYBODY next season,” Cunningham wrote.

The Indiana Fever’s next step toward building a championship run in 2026 will focus on helping their injured players through recovery. This season showed how much potential the team has, and once Caitlin Clark and the other injured players return to the lineup, Indiana will be regarded as a title contender.

About the author

Advait Jajodia is an NBA, WNBA, and tennis journalist at Sportskeeda with over four years of experience in the field with The SportsRush.

Advait has a love of basketball that stems from playing the game, and has represented Mumbai North at the Inter-District State Championship and Maharashtra at the ASISC National Games.

His favorite team is the New Orleans Pelicans, although Advait also has an affinity for the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs. His favorite player of all time was Kobe Bryant, as the Lakers legend's undeniable talent and mentality were just unignorable. As for players in the current game, Stephen Curry, Zion Williamson, Victor Wembanyama, and Kyrie Irving are top of Advait's list.

When not watching or writing about sports, Advait is a fan of true crime shows, board games and console gaming.

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Edited by Bhargav