Aaliyah Nye photos go viral after WNBA champion is named in relationship controversy
Aaliyah Nye photos go viral after WNBA champion is named in relationship controversy originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
Aaliyah Nye has unexpectedly become one of the most discussed players in the WNBA following a series of explosive social media posts involving Chicago Sky guard DiJonai Carrington and Las Vegas Aces forward NaLyssa Smith.
Carrington publicly accused Smith, her former girlfriend, of being unfaithful during their relationship. In a Threads post that quickly circulated across social media, Carrington specifically named Nye and basketball star Deja Kelly among the players allegedly involved.
Neither Nye, Smith nor Kelly has publicly responded to the allegation, which has not been independently substantiated. Carrington also did not offer evidence supporting her claim, making it important to treat the accusation as an allegation rather than an established fact.
As fans searched for more information about Nye, several photos of the Atlanta Dream guard resurfaced on X. The account Athlete Vanity shared multiple images of Nye, drawing renewed attention to the 23-year-old Michigan native.
The sudden spotlight has introduced some fans to Nye for reasons unrelated to basketball, but she already owns an impressive resume that includes a WNBA championship and one of the most prolific 3-point shooting careers in Alabama history.
Who is Aaliyah Nye?
Nye is a 6-foot guard and forward from Traverse City, Michigan. She attended East Lansing High School, where she developed into one of the state's top players.
As a junior, Nye averaged 17.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.8 steals per game. She followed that performance by averaging 16.1 points and 5.2 rebounds during a senior season shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic. Nye finished her high school career with 1,370 points and was named the Associated Press Division 1 Player of the Year. She was also the runner-up for the 2020 Michigan Miss Basketball award.
After receiving 16 scholarship offers, Nye committed to Illinois. She spent two seasons with the Fighting Illini, averaging 12.4 points and making 69 3-pointers as a sophomore. Nye tied the Illinois record for most 3-pointers in a Big Ten game when she connected seven times from beyond the arc against Wisconsin in January 2022.
Nye transferred to Alabama after that season, and her shooting eventually made her one of the most dangerous perimeter scorers in the country.
Aaliyah Nye became Alabama's greatest 3-point shooter
Nye started 97 games across three seasons with the Crimson Tide. Her breakout campaign came in 2023-24, when she averaged 14.1 points and led the SEC in made 3-pointers. Nye connected on 108 shots from beyond the arc, establishing an Alabama single-season record and tying the second-highest total in SEC history.
She broke her own record the following season. Nye averaged a career-best 15.2 points during the 2024-25 campaign and made 111 3-pointers. She scored a career-high 32 points against Ole Miss and set an Alabama single-game record by burying nine triples against Florida.
The sharpshooter finished her college career with 1,739 points and an Alabama-record 293 made 3-pointers. She also received WBCA Coaches' All-America honorable mention recognition after her final season. Nye's college production helped her become the first player selected in the second round of the 2025 WNBA Draft. The Aces took her with the No. 13 overall pick while she was sitting in the audience to support Alabama teammate Sarah Ashlee Barker.
Nye won a WNBA championship with Las Vegas
Nye immediately showed her shooting ability during her first professional preseason game, scoring 17 points and making five 3-pointers against the Dallas Wings. She earned a place on Las Vegas' regular-season roster and appeared in 44 games as a rookie, including two starts. Nye averaged 3.8 points and 1.5 rebounds in 15.3 minutes per game while shooting 82.4 percent from the free-throw line.
More importantly, her rookie season ended with a championship. Nye appeared in six postseason games as the Aces captured the 2025 WNBA title, making her a champion less than a year after completing her college career.
The Toronto Tempo selected Nye eighth overall in the 2026 WNBA expansion draft, but she was waived during final roster cuts. Her time without a team did not last long, as the Atlanta Dream claimed her off waivers on May 9. Nye has also competed in Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball, joining the league following her rookie WNBA season.
MORE: Deja Kelly photos go viral after basketball star is named in WNBA relationship controversy
Nye is pulled into an unexpected off-court story
Nye's name entered the controversy after Carrington accused Smith of cheating during their relationship.
"Since [people] wanna be funny today, I'm gonna be hilarious," Carrington wrote before alleging that Smith was involved with Nye, Kelly and other WNBA players.
Carrington and Smith began dating after meeting at Baylor. They later became teammates with the Dallas Wings during the 2025 season before confirming their breakup in November. Carrington said at the time that they remained on good terms and had simply "grew in different directions." Her latest claim has created a dramatically different public narrative surrounding the end of the relationship.
Nye has not commented on the accusation, and the resurfacing of her photos does not provide any support for Carrington's allegation. The social media attention may have placed Nye's name in an uncomfortable controversy, but her career extends far beyond the viral posts. She is an accomplished college scorer, Alabama's career leader in made 3-pointers and already a WNBA champion.
