Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese did not have their best season in the WNBA. Clark struggled with injuries that kept her off the court for the Indiana Fever. Reese, on the other hand, experienced heavy losses with the Chicago Sky.
Their teams had to adjust their rosters without them. This led to Dana Evans being traded from the Sky to the Las Vegas Aces, the current WNBA champions. Before the trade, Evans and forward Isabelle Harrison faced harassment from a section of Sky fans, who blamed them for the team’s poor performance.
Silencing the critics
According to Firstsportz, once both players joined their new teams, they proved they were not the problem. Both had excellent seasons and helped their teams reach the playoffs. Evans and Jewell Loyd became key players in maintaining the Aces’ advantage. The team won 16 regular-season games and finished 2nd in the league.
After the Las Vegas Aces claimed the championship, Dana Evans tweeted: “Nothin’ like laughing last LMAOOOOO,” applauding the fans who had previously criticized Angel Reese. Today, Evans acknowledges that Reese was not the issue.
😂😂😂 it’s nothing like getting the last laugh LMAOOOOO
— Dana Evans (@Danaaakianaaa) October 12, 2025
A similar story unfolded with NaLyssa Smith. Last season, she played for the Fever but was unhappy with her role. She was eventually traded to the Dallas Wings and shortly after to the Las Vegas Aces, which turned out to be the best move of her career.
Smith adapted quickly, going on a winning streak that led the team to the playoffs. Alongside A’ja Wilson and the rest of the squad, they surpassed the first two rounds and swept the Phoenix Mercury in the Finals, becoming league champions.
WHAT THEY GONE SAY NOWWWW https://t.co/jXCvKqDg6e
— #1 (@NaLyssaSmith) October 12, 2025
After the playoffs, NaLyssa Smith posted on X: “What they say now.” She made it clear to Caitlin Clark, fans, and Indiana Fever analysts that she was not the problem. She emphasized that if the team had given her the opportunity she requested, the story could have been very different.
