Basketball really has a way of flipping the script. One moment, you’re out of a job. Next, you’re standing at the top of the league. Just ask Alanna Smith. In 2022, she was waived by the Indiana Fever — a team that stumbled to a 5-31 record that year. Fast forward to 2025, and the same player is holding the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year trophy. The turnaround? Nothing short of remarkable. Smith didn’t just bounce back — she became the anchor of the Minnesota Lynx, orchestrating the league’s best defense with a 97.5 defensive rating.

In a league largely dominated by American stars, Alanna Smith stands out as one of the few internationals holding her own among the very best. By winning the 2025 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, she became just the second Australian ever to claim the honor, joining the legendary Lauren Jackson. As of September 2025, Smith and Jackson remain the only international players to have earned this prestigious accolade.

“Um, honestly, I couldn’t believe it. It was kind of surreal. Um, it’s been a really long year and, you know, we’ve had more games than we did last year. So it’s felt like, um, just so long. And then to finally come to this point in the season where awards are given out and to be recognized, I was just in shock,” she said after finding out she had won the DPOY.

Naturally, the hype around Alanna Smith is at an all-time high. And with her rise to stardom, it feels like the perfect moment to take a closer look at her 2025 net worth and salary.

What is Alanna Smith’s Net Worth?

Figuring out Veronica Burton’s exact net worth isn’t simple; most of her financial details aren’t public. But according to SportsDunia, her net worth is estimated to be around $500,000. That figure takes into account her WNBA salaries, endorsement deals, and even the income she generates from her various sponsorship deals. More recent estimates from sources like SportySalaries (May 2025) project her net worth rising above $1.9 million, while another site places it at $2.5 million for 2025, factoring in WNBA salaries, endorsements, and overseas play.

Alanna Smith’s Contract Breakdown

As per Sportac, Alanna Smith is on a fully guaranteed two-year, $300,000 deal with the Minnesota Lynx, averaging $150,000 per season. In 2025, she’ll take home $150,000 in base salary, with the same figure counting against the cap and as dead cap value!

Alanna Smith’s Career Earnings

Alanna Smith is now in her seventh WNBA season, having featured for the likes of Phoenix Mercury, Indiana Fever, and Chicago Sky before making her mark with the Minnesota Lynx. Along the way, she’s not only grown into one of the league’s most improved players but also steadily built her earnings. Here’s a breakdown of what she’s made in WNBA salaries so far, according to Spotrac:

Alanna Smith’s College and Professional Career

Alanna Smith was born on September 10, 1996, in Hobart, Tasmania, but grew up in Melbourne. She attended Wesley College and played for the Nunawading Spectres Juniors between 2009 and 2013, averaging 12.3 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. And while Smith often calls Melbourne the best place to live, she always dreamed of heading to the United States to take her game — and her career — to the next level.

“My uncle went to college in California, and that put the idea in my head. My dad pushed it. Both him and my uncle had played professionally, so they were a big part of my basketball life growing up,” she had said.

Moving to Stanford University in the United States, Smith quickly established herself as one of the top collegiate players in the nation. As Stanford’s first international women’s basketball recruit, she played four seasons from 2015 to 2019, starting 74 of 143 games while helping the Cardinal reach at least the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA Tournament each year, including Final Four appearances in 2017 and a national championship game in 2019. Smith earned All-Pac-12 honors in both 2018 and 2019, showcasing her versatility as a forward with scoring, rebounding, and defensive prowess.

n her senior year at Stanford, Smith put up a team-high 19.4 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, while also earning WBCA All-American and Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors. By the end of her collegiate career, she ranked 10th in school history in scoring (1,703 points), 11th in rebounds (842), and second in blocks (225). She also became just the fourth women’s player in the last 20 years to notch at least 1,600 points, 150 three-pointers, and 200 blocks.

As a result, Smith was selected eighth overall in the 2019 WNBA Draft by the Phoenix Mercury, cementing her place as one of the top international prospects of her class and the highest-drafted Australian that year. But her path in the WNBA was anything but smooth. After her rookie contract, the Mercury chose not to renew her deal, and her stint with the Indiana Fever ended after just nine games.

After a successful stint in Poland, Smith signed with the Chicago Sky, where she finally began to find her rhythm. In 38 games, she averaged 9.2 points and 6.6 rebounds in 26.5 minutes per outing. That breakout year opened the door to the Minnesota Lynx……and the rest, as they say, is history!