The preseason clash between the Dallas Wings and the defending champions Las Vegas Aces wasn’t just another game; it was billed as a showdown between the two co-Defensive Players of the Year. MVP A’ja Wilson was back and fit for her first game of the preseason, but it ended up being a night she’ll want to forget.

With 7:47 left in the third quarter, Wilson was bringing the ball up the floor for the Aces when Wings star Alanna Smith tried to go for a steal. During that same moment, Wilson got her hand up to pass the ball and her elbow clashed with Smith’s face, leaving her on the ground. Wilson was immediately called for a foul but the situation was much worse. Blood dripped from Smith’s mouth as she called for a physio. After a video review, the officials upgraded the foul to a flagrant one. 

This forced the Wings star out of the game, and with no update on her injury yet, her availability for the season opener against the Indiana Fever remains uncertain.

Alanna Smith was already coming into this game on the back of an injury. She was initially listed as questionable by Smith because of a quad injury. On top of that, she had recently been in the news after her flagrant foul on Caitlin Clark gave Fever fans a scare, with Clark picking up a minor ankle injury.

But while Caitlin Clark did return in the very next game, we can’t be certain if Alanna Smith will feature in the next one, and if she doesn’t, it would indeed be a big loss for the Wings.

Coach Jose Fernandez has high expectations from former Minnesota Lynx center Alanna Smith, who signed a three-year max deal this offseason. Fernandez outlined his vision for her role, saying, “There will be a higher usage without a doubt. I think she was attracted to what we talked about, how we are going to play and how she is going to be utilized.”

And we got a glimpse of that offensive role in this game.

She was on fire offensively, putting up 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting along with a team-high 7 rebounds in just 12 minutes. Before leaving due to injury, she was the most efficient player on the floor for either team. “Alanna does a really good job of screening, hitting bodies, and creating space and separation,” Paige Bueckers told Dallas Hoops Journal. “She’s a threat finishing and from the 3-point line, so that helps.”

This only underlines how important she is to the Dallas Wings, who invested heavily in her to address the defensive issues they struggled with last season. The 6-foot-4 forward ranked third in blocked shots and tied for 10th in steals last year, playing a key role in helping the Minnesota Lynx finish with the best regular-season record.

Of course, the decision to name her co-DPOY alongside A’ja Wilson didn’t sit well with everyone. Even Becky Hammon raised questions about it. “I guess I’m just confused by the ‘co.’ You guys said (Collier) was the best defensive player last year, and then now she’s not. I mean, I don’t know,” Hammon said in a video shared by podcaster Nekias Duncan. “I’d love to make the voting public. I don’t know how it came to a tie, but apparently it did. To me, there’s no comparison. A white-tailed deer looks really good until an elk walks into the room.”

So you could very well say this matchup was about more than just a typical preseason game. Whether that led to things getting a bit more physical is up for debate, but Wings fans do have one positive update regarding Alanna Smith.

Smith later returned to the sidelines with an ice pack on her face, even sharing a smile while chatting with Jessica Shepard as she watched the Dallas Wings cruise to a 101–84 win. Aziaha James led the way with 18 points, while Maddy Siegrist and Azzi Fudd chipped in with 14 and 12 points respectively. Still, the foul from Wilson, who finished with 18 points and 5 rebounds in her first game of 2026, quickly drew criticism from fans, with the reigning MVP coming under fire.

Fans Urge A’ja Wilson to Dial It Back After “Dirty” Preseason Foul on Alanna Smith

“Dirty play by the MVP,” accused a fan. “Season didn’t start yet and Alanna Smith lost a tooth. @_ajawilson22 gotta relax damn,” stated another. Well, there is no update on what Smith’s condition is. The elbow impact did not look good but Smith seemed cheery when she returned to the bench. Preseason usually sees more whistles and lesser physicality. Because the stakes are almost nothing and each team is focused on gelling together as a team and regrouping in the new season. 

Even the referees have made sure that the physicality is on the low side with more fouls called in the preseason this year. But A’ja Wilson was not in the same mood as she brought her extreme intensity to this game, which ultimately led  to this injury to Smith. Such plays would have drawn eyes for any player but considering Wilson is the reigning MVP and the champion, it just adds to the weight. 

“Isn’t Alanna Smith her co-defensive player of the year??? Eliminating your rival this early in the pre-season. A’ja is a thug,” wrote a fan. “A’ja just wrestling Alanna Smith wtf,” commented another fan. Smith and Wilson shared the ‘Defensive Player Of The Year’ honors for the first time in the award’s history. So, Smith and Wilson are essentially rivals in that sense.

And as the best defender on the Wings, she was often guarding Wilson in this game. That just adds spice to this clash down the line. These teams are scheduled to face each other three times during the season. Smith will look to respond to this foul by clamping the best player in the league.

Even before this play, Wilson and Jessica Shepard had a clash. The Wings star went for a layup and Wilson leaped for a block. Wilson ended up falling on Shepard and it was deemed a foul on Wilson. So, there was no shortage of physical plays from the Vegas star. Another fan had a different perspective on Alanna Smith’s incident.

“Now Alanna Smith is injured after being hit in the mouth & is done for the night. Another player whose coach shouldn’t have really had her in the second half, #WNBA” wrote a fan. Smith’s injury troubles make it difficult to manage her minutes and ease her way in. She needs to get the reps in with her new teammates as well. 

Fortunately, Fernandez has scraped through the preseason without any serious troubles, especially with Smith. With the season yet to begin, this clash between Smith and Wilson may just be the first chapter of a heated rivalry as fans will be watching closely.