Alanna Smith Doesn’t Take Herself Too Seriously
The Minnesota Lynx Player on Personal Style, Gratitude, and Taking Risks
BY EMMA GEARY
Like many (read: all) women, there is more than meets the eye when it comes to the Minnesota Lynx. They bring an energy, professionalism, and joy to their work that is wonderfully contagious, layering their wins on the court with accomplishments ranging from graduate school to thriving TikTok and Twitch accounts to creating an entirely new league of basketball. With every game, every interview, and every interaction with their fan base, the Minnesota Lynx invite you to look again.
If you like watching basketball, then you like watching the Lynx. They play a clean game–vibrating with energy and executing smart plays, always seemingly a few steps ahead of their opponents. They bring a smooth sense of grace to the court, paired with the confidence and swagger they’ve earned from years of honing their craft and remaining at the top of the league.
Alanna “Lan” Smith, a self-described “blue collar worker” on the court, is a consistent anchor of the team’s defense as a starting forward, combining scoring, rebounding, and defensive duties with streamlined effectiveness. Her 2025 season has been sensational and, just days before sending this issue to print, she was awarded the Co-Defensive Player of the Year Award, along with A’ja Wilson. In a post-game press conference on August 10th, head coach Cheryl Reeves said, “Alanna Smith is just incredible. I mean, you don’t come to a basketball game and go, ‘That’s not one of thebest defensive players in the league.’”
Off the court, Alanna brings a more eclectic air to hero -duty style, not only in what she wears, but in the digital presence she’s created, sharing her shopping hauls and tunnel fits on her fast-growing TikTok page, amassing a following of sports fans and fashionistas alike. As if she weren’t busy enough, Alanna is also about to graduate with her Master’s Degree in Psychology from Monash University. Smith met with us mere hours after a win over the New York Liberty, their first rematch of the 2025 season after facing each other in the 2024 WNBA Finals. The Minnesota Lynx won 100 to 93 in an electric, jam-packed Target Center, and Smith had a game worth writing home to Australia about, scoring 12 points for the team with a few show-stopping three-pointers.
One of Alanna’s favorite tunnel fits photographedupon arrival at Target Center before a home game.
We chatted with Alanna at the end of July about her game, her closet, and taking risks.
Emma: Alanna, we’re a little over halfway throughthe season–how are you feeling?
Alanna: So far, it’s going really well. It’s a really heavy schedule, and we’ve already played so many games, but I think we’ve done a good job of playing at a level of excellence that is hard to maintain. The mindset of how we’ve approached each game has been with excitement, and I’m already looking forward to the tail end of the season.
You’ve been with the Lynx for two seasons, and as alocal publication, we always love to ask–how are youfi nding your time in Minnesota?
I love it here. Most of my time here has been spent in the summer, and I’m very comfortable here. You don’t have the bustle of a big city, but still have a great food scene and so much nature nearby, so it’s been a lifestyle I’ve enjoyed. I’ve been to a few of the lakes and out to some great restaurants. I love a good deli sandwich, and I’ve already found at least 4 great places that I return to often.
I’d love to talk about your fashion sense, because your approach is so fun and unique to the tunnel fit tradition, especially because you review them on your TikTok account, @alanna__s, better known to your followers as “Lan’s Chan.” Can you tell me how this came about?
I think the tunnel fit is such a unique thing to the sport, and something you don’t see in other industries. The WNBA tunnel fits specifically are an opportunity to show out, and it’s really fun. Over the years, I’ve worn so many different outfits, and I was looking back on old photos and seeing some of my past fits that were hilarious to me, and I thought, I need to share this with the world because it was so funny. I think it’s important to laugh at yourself and look at things in a lighthearted way, and it felt like a fun thing to share with other people. It’s important to say, I don’t love it, but I’m ok and I can laugh about it. I think we get criticized so often that I wanted to come out ahead of it and approach it with humor.
Right, and I think so much of fashion is about taking risks and trying new styles. Can you talk about your mentality around risk-taking, whether it be in fashion or in your career?
It’s so important to take risks because without them, you’re left with the “what ifs”. I think being left with a what-if is so much worse than being left with a failure, and I try to approach everything I do with a growth mindset. With my fashion, I’ve grown into what I like through taking risks, and it’s made me feel more confident in my choices. I think from a career standpoint, I take risks all the time, whether it be on the court, reading plays in the moment and taking quick action, or the nature of the sport when there are so many unknowns. This is a role where it’s always hard to plan–you don’t always know where you’ll be playing or how the season will go, so you’re constantly taking risks and becoming accustomed to it.
With that uncertainty, I want to talk about your mental game. You recently shared on Instagram that your favorite mantra is, “Enjoy the process, even when it’s hard.” Can you share more about what this means to you?
I return to this quote when I’m struggling or feeling sorry for myself. I have to zoom out and approach things with gratitude, reframing it like, “How lucky am I that I get to be sore after a game?” And, “How lucky am I that I get to play another game after a loss?” When I shift my mindset to make space for gratitude, it reminds me of what a privilege it is for me to play this sport, go to graduate school, and juggle all of these things at once. It’s a privilege to do hard things, and reframing that is important, especially during a busy season.
Style comes in so many different forms, whether it be in fashion or gameplay. Do you think your style on the court mirrors your fashion sense, or do they differ?
It’s funny, because I’ve always thought of my fashion sense as understated and simple but effective, but then my friends keep telling me that it’s more eclectic. I definitely do enjoy wearing something different and finding pieces that pop and are eye-catching. I think on the court, though, I do have a style that’s more understated and effective—I’m a blue-collar worker. I’m working hard to get the job done, and my play style isn’t flashy.
We all have those pieces that we dream of wearing, but aren’t sure if we could pull them off. What advice would you give to someone who wants to take a risk in fashion?
I always say it’s better to be overdressed than underdressed. And, how good does it feel when someone compliments you on something you love? I think it’s important to take risks, and if you mess up, you learn something. Trying new things is how you find out what you like and what you feel comfortable in, and how you find your personal style.
On your TikTok page, you share your shopping hauls, in addition to your tunnel fits. What’s a dream piece that’s on your wish list right now?
I want to get myself a graduation gift, because I feel like I deserve a little treat. I’ve always loved luxury handbags, and I love Bottega Veneta. It’s outrageously expensive, but I have my eye on their woven leather handbags, so one of those would be at the top of my list.
To follow along with Alanna’s tunnel fits and WNBA latest, follow her at @alannas96 on Instagram and @alanna__s on TikTok.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Emma Geary
Emma is Collective Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief and LAB’s Brand + Editorial Manager. She loves getting lost in a story and is sharing her own on her Substack, Hot Girl Walk. Find her staring at the sun on her daily lap around Lake of the Isles.
