Alanna Smith is the shot-blocking, sharpshooting big for the Mercury

Alanna Smith is the 2019 draft’s shot-blocking, sharpshooting 6’3 big who should make herself an immediate influence in the league. After being selected No. 8 overall by the Phoenix Mercury, she should have a chance to do that. The Australian native traveled a long way from home to play at Stanford, where she blossomed into the team’s leading scorer at 19 per game. She also averaged nine rebounds and two blocks.

Smith has professional experience already, having played in the FIBA World Cup for Australia in 2018. Her team, coached by Mercury head coach Sandy Brondello, finished second to the United States with Smith scoring 10 points on five shots in the title game. She saw defense and found success against Breanna Stewart, A’ja Wilson, and Nneka Ogwumike, among other world elites. Smith valued her experience teaming up with the WNBA’s leading scorer Liz Cambage and others, but she also learned where she needs to improve.

“I think I need to work on ball-handling and perimeter skills if I want to be a better player,” Smith told SB Nation. “I don’t want to be just a post player. I want to expand my game a little more.”

Smith’s ability to play a hybrid position is what’s driven her draft stock as she’s become one of the most prolific three-point shooters her size.

For any team with a need for a big who can space the floor, Smith is the perfect fit. She has the tools to play in the low post if she needs, but thrives around the perimeter where she can knock home threes. At 5.7 attempts, she ranks just outside the top 200 in the nation despite her 6’3 size, and she’s shooting nearly 40 percent from distance. That’s fantastic. It’s something she’s really worked on.

“I think I naturally have a quick release,” Smith said. “In Australia, when I was younger, we used to do drills where you’d have to get your shot off really quick or you’d get blocked. We’d play against guys a lot.”

Smith says she doesn’t want to be held to just playing the power forward spot, though. She’s a great rebounder (in the 97th percentile on the defensive end) and an outstanding shot-blocker — at 2.2 per game, she ranks No. 37 in the country. She’s an intimidating inside presence, and her blocks are a highlight reel in themselves.

“A lot of people look at the ball when they’re blocking shots, which is important as people pump-fake and throw you off,” Smith said. “But if you not only look at the ball, but incorporate the whole play into their body, their eyes, you can kind of tell when they’re going to get their shots off.

“I hate being scored on, so if I can block your shot, I’m going to do it.”

With the ball in her hands so much, Smith is turnover-prone. She averaged 2.5 per game her senior season, which is a number you’d expect from a true guard rather than a big. Smith often struggled with foul trouble, too, averaging 2.8 per game. Those missteps are correctable in the right setting, especially as her role is reduced as a rookie.

Smith’s draft selection will also go as high or low as general managers value a big who prefers to step beyond the arc. In any setting, she’s absolutely a high-level contributor at the next level. The question that will define her career is what else she can add to be a team’s star.

Favorite pregame song? “Right now we’ve been listening to Future’s ‘March Madness.’” [Smith spoke with SB Nation before Stanford’s opening game of the tournament.]

Who is your favorite WNBA and NBA player and why? “My favorite player in the W is my girl Liz Cambage. She’s such a base. She’s unstoppable. I remember playing with her and watching her get a rebound, take it full court, pull-up jumper. Make it. Who’s 6’8 and can do that?

In the NBA, I’d have to say Giannis [Antetokounmpo]. The crazy skillset he has is very impressive.”

Favorite Liz Cambage moment? My favorite Liz moment ... gosh, there’s a lot of them. My favorite one is when she had this tea that had affirmations on the tea bag, and we’d do our daily tea affirmations. Her reading those out at breakfast ... it was nice to be affirmed from the day. Especially from Liz.

It was a lot of like ‘Believe it and you can do it,’ just dumb, but it was funny on a tea bag. Like my tea bag is telling me I can achieve my dreams.

Most used app on your phone? “Probably Instagram.”

Cats or Dogs? “Which kind? Dogs. Big dogs.”

What’s your favorite meme?

(After several attempts to describe this over the phone and then realizing I couldn’t see her hand motions, I think Smith means this one.)

If you didn’t play basketball, what would you want to make a career doing? “I’m really interested in reality TV. I’d like to have my own show. I think I have an interesting life and people would want to watch it. Probably just like an everyday life with cameras in my house. I have nothing to hide.”