The Chicago Sky versus Las Vegas Aces game on Saturday was perhaps one of the more anticipated WNBA matchups since Sunday, July 26. The reason had very little to do with basketball itself. Instead, it was all about love, relationships, and the drama sitting squarely in between.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
Chicago Sky guard DiJonai Carrington was going to be playing against her ex-girlfriend, Las Vegas Aces forward NaLyssa Smith. The prospect of the two players battling it out on the court was already must-watch television for the drama lovers. And then ClutchWNBA shared a clip on Instagram showing the two players involved in a relatively physical play. Smith was successfully guarding Carrington to ensure she didn’t get the rebound if the shot didn’t go in.
But that alone was not the headline. The real drama had erupted just days earlier.
On July 26, Carrington had shared a blunt post on social media, publicly accusing Smith of cheating on her during their relationship. And Smith had also fired back during a Twitch livestream, questioning why Carrington was airing personal matters on the internet nearly a year after their breakup.
Some could not resist pointing out the obvious, which they found equally hilarious.
“That’s one hell of an entanglement 😂,” one fan wrote. Another, clearly enjoying every moment of the storyline, added, “This was pure cinema! I have my popcorn ready.”
For others, the real takeaway was the professionalism both players demonstrated. That is, focusing entirely on the game despite everything swirling around them off the court.
“My teammate is dating my ex and everything is still professional. Wow, much respect to the Aces,” a likely reference to the fact that Jackie Young, now reportedly dating DiJonai Carrington, shares that same Las Vegas locker room with NaLyssa Smith.
For some fans, however, the ultimate outcome of the game added one final layer to the drama. Chicago Sky eventually won, and for those keeping score of every subplot, that felt like a significant victory for Carrington specifically.
“And also beat her ex and current, I love WNBA ❤️🔥🔥🔥,” one fan wrote. Another put it even more bluntly, saying “Dijonai won the war.”
The Chicago Sky did pull off a thrilling 84-83 upset over the defending champion Las Vegas Aces. And both players contributed meaningfully to their respective sides. Carrington contributed ten points and two rebounds in 19 minutes. Meanwhile, Smith delivered 17 points, six rebounds, two steals, and a block in 31 minutes.
The game was close, the basketball was real, and the storylines were anything but ordinary. But despite all the attention on the storylines off the court, both players ultimately let their basketball do the talking.