The WNBA All-Star weekend in Chicago was supposed to celebrate the league’s brightest stars. Instead, Sunday’s headlines belonged to a personal bombshell.
Chicago Sky guard DiJonai Carrington took to Threads and accused her former girlfriend, Las Vegas Aces forward NaLyssa Smith, of cheating during their relationship. The post named two other players and claimed there were “many more.”
What exactly did DiJonai Carrington post?
DiJonai Carrington did not hold back. She wrote, “Since mfs wanna be funny today ima be hilarious! yes, nalyssa cheated on me with Deja Kelly and Aaliyah Nye +++ many more.”
The message was direct and public. It turned a private breakup into league-wide conversation overnight. Smith, Kelly, and Nye have not responded publicly as of Monday.
Who are the players named in the accusations?
NaLyssa Smith is a key forward for the defending champion Las Vegas Aces. She and Carrington dated since their college days at Baylor, beginning around 2020. Their relationship continued after both reached the WNBA.
Deja Kelly is a guard who has been linked to the Aces organization in recent reporting. Aaliyah Nye plays for the Atlanta Dream. Carrington’s post claims Smith was involved with both women, plus additional unnamed players across the league.
How did DiJonai Carrington and NaLyssa Smith’s relationship actually end?
For years, the couple appeared solid. They even spent part of the 2025 season as teammates on the Dallas Wings before Smith was traded to Las Vegas. When they announced their split in November 2025, Carrington described it gently. She said, “we’re good, but we’re not together anymore,” and added, “It was on good terms – we just grew in different directions.”
Why is this timing so awkward for the league?
The post dropped during All-Star weekend in Chicago, the same city where Carrington’s Sky play. League officials and fans expected talk about the three-point contest, skills challenge, and All-Star Game itself. Instead, social media filled with relationship drama.
Carrington is still working her way back from a foot injury and is expected to make her Sky debut after the break. That return now carries extra weight.
When will the players face each other on the court?
The schedule creates immediate tension. The Chicago Sky host the Las Vegas Aces on August 1. That matchup puts Carrington opposite both Smith and Kelly in the same building. Later, on September 19, the Sky travel to face Aaliyah Nye and the Atlanta Dream.
Those two games will now be watched for more than basketball. Fans and media will look for any body language, interactions, or postgame comments that speak to the off-court story.
What happens next?
Smith, Kelly, and Nye remain silent for now. Carrington has not expanded on her post beyond the original Threads message. The WNBA has issued no official statement, treating the matter as a personal dispute rather than a league issue.
Whether the accusations lead to further public statements or simply fade into the background of a busy second half of the season remains to be seen.